Best Wishes
by amkp
Summary: This story is the sequel to Birthday Wishes. Ranger and Stephanie journey through life as an engaged couple. The story is now complete! Yep, they're married! Epilogue is posted! Thanks for reading, it's been a great ride!
1. Our Beginning

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Author's note: This story is the sequel to my first fanfic, Birthday Wishes. I promise to complete this story in a timely manner. At this point, updates will be weekly. I'd like to thank my terrific Beta, JenRar. Thanks, Babe, for all your work with this story. Of course, I also have to give kudos to my sounding board (aka Cara, aka girlygirl79). I hope that you enjoy the continuation of this story. I've tried to inject some humor into the storyline. I appreciate your reviews and personal messages; they're the best part of posting on this site. Oh and of course, I don't own them, JE does. I wonder if she'd consider a rental program? I'm really only interested in Ranger, though. So without further ado, here's Best Wishes.

Chapter 1-Our beginning

**SPOV**

This weekend has been the most incredible of my entire life. First off, I got engaged to Batman! So that leads you to ask what could possibly top that…well, how about being naked with Batman? Oh yeah,I'm a very happy, very sated woman.

Our 'first' time together, nearly two years ago, I had _sex_ with Ranger, but this weekend, I've made love to Carlos. There are similarities, of course. The man loves to kiss and the things he can do with his mouth…_oh, boy_…I did I say I was happy, right? Anyway, making love to a man you are 100% in love with and committed to, body and soul, is fabulous. I mean seriously mind blowing! So yeah, that's how I've spent most of this weekend, in a perpetual state of orgasm.

Saturday, only Carlos left the bed. I was incapable of moving further than from the bed to the bathroom. He'd make quick trips down to the kitchen to grab us something to eat when our physical hunger outweighed our sexual one.

Some of his meals were consumed directly from my body, like I was his own personal can be quite inventive with food, let me tell you. He seems to especially like strawberries, and after this weekend, I've decided they're my favorite fruit as well.

However, mine is not the only food opinion that's changed this weekend. Carlos appears to have a new appreciation for chocolate. I'm pretty sure our home will always be stocked with Hershey's syrup, if the moans coming from him last night were any indication. To think, for years I thought that I couldn't marry Ranger because he wouldn't eat dessert, when all I needed to do was expand my definition to include him _as_ dessert!

In the wee hours of Sunday, we'd made very leisurely love on the balcony outside the bedroom. We were both climaxing as the sun was peeking its head from the horizon of the ocean. I lay cuddled in Carlos' arms, a blanket draped across our bodies as we silently watched the sunrise together. When the sun had completely risen from the surface of the water, Carlos carried me back into the bedroom and lay me gently down on the bed, where I'd promptly fallen asleep.

This thought brings me back to the present and the question, where is my fiancée? I roll over to his side of the bed and notice a slip of paper resting on the bedside table. I reach for it, then read it over.

_Babe,_

_Went for a run on the beach. You're absolutely beautiful in sleep. I'll be home soon._

_Love,_

_Carlos_

Had the bedroom exercise we've been performing the last 36 hours or so not given this man a day off from running? Geez. Good thing he didn't wake me to invite me along for his morning excursion, because that _wouldn't_ have been pretty.

Nature's call had been ringing for awhile and I finally decided it couldn't be put off any longer. I crept to the edge of the bed and very, very slowly made my way to the bathroom. Carlos wasn't kidding on Friday when he said walking was going to be a problem for me today.

We'd definitely worked off a good chunk of our pent-up sexual frustrations that we've held in check over these past years. I had a whole body shiver when I thought back to all the things we'd experienced this weekend. _Whew!_

Finishing in the bathroom, I grabbed the robe hanging on the back of the door, tossed it on and tightened the belt at my waist. Feeling a little less sore now that I was up and moving, I decided to brave a trip down the stairs to wait for Carlos.

A beautiful day greeted me when I exited the house through the kitchen and onto the pool deck. The sight of the hot tub had my doodah sending an urgent message to my brain:_That __would feel really good right now! _I didn't waste any time getting to the edge, where I dropped my robe and lowered myself into the hot, soothing water. _Aahhh_. I rested my head on the contoured pillow of the tub and drifted off into a peaceful nap, letting the hot water ease my soreness away.

I'm not sure how much time had past, when I suddenly felt strong arms encircle my waist and a soft kiss was placed on the tip of my nose. I opened my eyes to the sight of a sweaty and completely naked Carlos. What a good morning this was turning out to be!

"Morning, Babe. I was surprised to find you out here. Happy, but surprised. I didn't figure you'd stir until somewhere near noon."

"Good morning to you, too, Batman. It seems we're both surprised today. I can't believe you went running at dawn. Haven't you been getting enough exercise upstairs? I mean, I'm exhausted!"

Carlos' lips twitched up at the corners. "Steph, I've been running every morning for so many years, it hardly seems like exercise anymore. I mainly use it to collect my thoughts and plan out my days. It centers my mind, gives me focus."

"I'm not sure I'm ever going to see running as anything more than what it is…exercise, the next thing to torture."

"Babe, I thought you enjoyed our morning runs."

"Yeah, when you're along, it makes it easier, but I'm never going to be able to think of anything more than putting one foot in front of the other while praying for it to be over quick!"

He just shook his head. "When I was running this morning, I thought about Julie. How do you feel about seeing her today before we head back to Trenton?"

"Oh, I'd love to see her! Do you want to tell her about our engagement or are we keeping this between us for a while?"

"Steph, I want to tell the whole world that you're mine, but if you want to wait, it's okay."

"No, I don't want to wait. It's just; we haven't exactly talked about our plans. We have a lot of decisions to make in the next couple days."

"I know. I don't want you to feel rushed. Let's just enjoy ourselves for the rest of today. We'll have time to talk about the other stuff on our way back to Trenton tonight, okay?"

"Sure, but let's go ahead and tell Julie today. I know she's going to be thrilled. The last time I talked to her, she was asking all sorts of questions about our relationship. It seems she's very curious."

"Sounds like we've had similar conversations with my daughter. My last one with her was like an interrogation."

"When did you talk with her last?" Now I was the curious one, but as everyone knows, curious is practically my middle name.

"Wednesday night. Yes, I already had the ring and was planning to propose on your birthday." Carlos answered my question before I could even ask. Is his ESP great or what?

"Okay, smartass," I said, with obvious amusement in my voice. "Exactly how long have you been planning this proposal?"

Carlos attempted to give me his blank face, but I directed a big splash of water at his chest, stunning him momentarily and preventing him from slamming his blank face down.

"Answer the question. No evading, remember?"

"Alright, Babe, no need to get mean. I decided while we were in Bethesda; however, I've had the ring for a while." He gave me a look, shook his head when he realized I wasn't going to be put off and anticipated my next question before I could ask. "Two years, Steph."

Okay, that shocked me, so I couldn't help asking, "But, wasn't I with Morelli then?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd lost my mind, buying a ring for you when you were with him." Carlos pulled me onto his lap and I lay my head on his shoulder. There was a long, silent pause as he stared out at the ocean, lost in thought, and I waited patiently. I'm not normally a very patient person, but I know when Carlos opens himself up like this, it takes time. He's not used to sharing his thoughts with someone, even me, and I love the fact that he's making the effort for me. For us. He looked back to me, then continued in a low, serious voice.

"If you'd ever have gotten really serious with him, I would have stepped forward and laid my plans out to you, put my true feelings on the line. But, I really wanted to be clear of my contract with the Black Ops first. The assignments were just too risky and the odds of me not coming back too great. I didn't want to get together with you only to leave you alone, so I waited and prayed you wouldn't choose Morelli."

I lifted my head, placed my hands on both sides of his face and looked deep into his eyes. "I want you to know that I would have chosen you, I just never really thought you wanted a serious relationship. You told me so more than once. Until the night of your birthday, I wouldn't let myself consider the possibility of a relationship with you, even though all I ever really wanted was you."

Carlos pulled me into a kiss that had my body instantly humming with desire, and I ran my hand down his chest, quickly heading south. He stopped kissing me and started to rise from the hot tub, carrying me up with him as I started to whimper in protest. _Hey, it was just starting to get interesting._

"Babe, you're as red as a lobster. If we stay in there any longer, you're going to be fully cooked."

He walked over to the pool, carrying me bridal-style, and descended the stairs into the water that wasn't nearly as warm as the hot tub. I gasped at the temperature change, and goose bumps immediately rose on my skin.

Carlos started kissing me again, using his tongue in a way that scrambled my brain waves, making me completely forget about the cold water. He ran his hands slowly down my body. The friction of his hands and the water felt wonderful as I wrapped my legs around his waist and floated weightlessly on my back. Carlos reached out and gently pinched my nipples, making me moan and grind my center against his rock hard shaft. That was all the invitation he needed. He positioned himself at my entrance, grabbed my shoulders from underneath and slammed his cock into me. I arched my back, pushing him deeper, and tightened my legs around him as I urged him to move faster, harder.

By now, our bodies were so in tune with each other that no words needed to be spoken. We both know what the other needs, we've learned where to touch, and how to move to give the most pleasure to one weekend, we've added intimacy, knowledge and passion to the foundation of friendship and love we'd already established.

As I was drifting down from my climactic flight, I floated on my side and watched as Carlos rose from the water like a Greek, or rather, Cuban, Adonis. The sight of his finely sculpted ass walking away had me quickly giving chase. When I reached the steps,Carlos was waiting with one of the fluffy beach towels he'd retrieved from the poolside cabinet. He had a matching towel secured around his waist, and as I rose from the water, he wrapped me in the towel, securing it tightly between my breasts. Carlos brushed the hair from my forehead and placed a soft kiss at my temple before reaching down to grab my hand, steering us back into the house.

We ambled into the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast, working together easily in the efficient kitchen. It felt great to share such a simple, homey chore with him, and I realized I might even come to really like mornings. Let's face it; I've never been much of a morning person.

We took our plates out to the poolside table to enjoy our last morning in the warm sunshine with the sounds of the ocean in the background. Tomorrow, it was back to gloomy Trenton weather.

"Babe, I'll call Julie after breakfast while you shower. How about we take her to lunch?"

"Sure, that sounds great. Someplace near the water, okay? I'm going to miss the ocean. I really love being here."

"I know just the place for lunch." Carlos grabbed my hand and rubbed gentle circles in my palm. "Steph, we can come back anytime you want. This is your home now, too. You don't know how often I've been down here alone, wishing you were with me. It feels great to know those days are over, that you'll be accompanying me here from now on."

"Carlos, with Rangeman headquarters in Trenton, we can't spend all our time here in Miami."

"That's one of the good things about being your own boss. We can change our schedules. Besides, I plan on doing some restructuring at Rangeman to cut back on my hours and yours."

"I really don't expect you to make any changes for me, Carlos. I knew what I was getting into when we started this relationship. I'm aware of the long hours you have to put in to keep your business successful. You've worked hard to build it up to where it is today. I don't want you to sacrifice that for me."

"Babe, I'd really like to enjoy my time with you. I've taken very little personal time since I started Rangeman. In fact, I've never taken a vacation. When I'm here, I work. I'd really like to do some traveling with you. I've been on assignments all over the world, but saw very little of the actual places, since most of my ops were quick missions, usually performed in the dark of night or in remote locations away from the local attractions. You haven't really taken a vacation since I met you either. How do you feel about traveling?"

"I've always wanted to travel, but never took the time or had the money to go, plus the whole flying thing..."

"Babe, flying is safer than traveling by car. I think we should talk about places we'd like to go some evening after dinner. We'll make a list and then start the research process. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yeah, it does. I think you're going to spoil me."

"That's the plan, Steph; you might as well accept it. I've waited a long time to have a 'normal' life and I plan on enjoying it."

"I'm not sure how 'normal' a life with me is going to be. I tend to attract trouble and the abnormal."

"Don't I know it, Babe?"

"Hey, it's not my fault!"

That got a laugh out of Carlos. "It's okay, Babe. I love you anyway. Our life together is going be interesting and never dull."

We carried our dishes back to the kitchen, loaded and started the dishwasher. I headed upstairs to shower and change while Carlos went into his office to call Julie.

I came out of the dressing room when Carlos entered the shower. I hesitated, taking in the sexy picture of my naked man. _Yum!_ I forced myself to leave the room and go straighten the bedroom. _Look at domestic Stephanie!_ My mother would be so proud.

_Yeech!_My parents! We'll have to put a stop by their place top on the list when we return to Trenton. News of our engagement will spread like wildfire through the 'Burg. Then there's Carlos' family, Lula, Connie, the Merry Men and _oh God, _Joe. Now I'm _really_ dreading going back to Trenton.

Carlos emerged from the bathroom wearing casual tan slacks and a pale blue, loose fitting polo shirt. It was startling to see Carlos out of his usual black, but this color looked fabulous on him. The fit of the shirt quietly hid the toned chest that lies underneath. I discreetly checked my chin with the back of my hand for drool.

"See something you like, Babe?"

"Yeah, I do. But if we don't get going, I'll have made this bed for no reason."

"Steph, you didn't have to do that. Michelle would have taken care of it later today."

"Who's Michelle?"

"She's the Miami version of Ella. Her main responsibility is to Rangeman building. She's not here daily when I'm in Miami, since I spend most of the time at the office. I do have her open the house and stock the refrigerator with the bare essentials. On the day I leave, she returns to clean and close up the house."

"You just have women taking care of you all over the place, don't you?" I said teasingly as we made our way downstairs and into the garage.

"Babe, you're the only woman I'm interested in. Ella, Michelle and Cathy, in Boston, help make my life easier when I'm in their locations, but just with the domestic duties. All my other needs are exclusively yours!" He said the last bit with a raised eyebrow and wolf grin. He nearly growls out his last comment on the subject. "Let me tell you, you're doing a terrific job. I've never been so happy and satisfied in my entire life. I'm really looking forward to the next 50 plus years."

He pinned me up against the convertible with his hard body. I ran my hands up and loosely draped them around his neck. In my best sex kitten voice, I purred, "I'm really looking forward to those years myself." His lips crashed into mine, feeding on me like I was his last meal. I tunneled my fingers into his hair and rubbed myself against his obvious erection. He sucked in a breath, then whispered in my ear.

"Dios, Steph, I can't get enough of you." He kissed a path down my neck, and using his teeth, he slid the strap of my sundress off my shoulder, exposing my breast. He suckled me tenderly as I threw my head back in ecstasy, letting go of a moan I made no attempt to restrain. Carlos was reaching for the hem of my dress when his phone rang, startling us both, since it was a sound we hadn't heard in nearly two days. I recognized the ring-tone as Julie's. I pulled the strap back up onto my shoulder and smoothed down the skirt with my hands as Carlos answered the phone. The conversation was brief as he assured her that we were on our way. He closed the phone, returned it to his belt, then opened the car door for me. I lowered myself into the seat. He leaned across me to fasten my seatbelt, and as he straightened back up, he brushed my breast with his hand and gave my lips a quick kiss, before quietly saying, "More later, I promise."

The trip to the Martine's took about 30 minutes. They live in an upscale, gated community. Security is very strict and highly visible; without asking, I know that this was at Carlos' request. If they weren't living in this complex before Scrog, then I'm sure the move was made shortly after that horrible event. Carlos had barely brought the car to a stop in their driveway when Julie burst from the house, running at us full throttle.

"Dad! Steph! I can't believe you're here!" She charged towards Carlos as he exited the car. He grabbed her up as she launched herself into his arms. Julie gave him a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek before she wiggled to be set free so she could move towards me.

I had to take a step back to keep us from falling to the ground when she crashed into me and quickly wrapped her arms around my middle.

"Hey, Jules! Are you excited to see us?" My voice was laced with amusement.

"No, not really. I greet everybody like this," she teased before smiling up at me. Her smile was so similar to Carlos' that it took me by surprise and made my heart soar. She's such a beautiful young lady and I briefly wondered what mine and Carlos' children will look like. I envisioned a little boy in a black Rangeman uniform, the spitting imagine of his father, except for blue eyes that match mine. _Whoa!_I gave myself a mental head slap._That's a long way down the road_, I told myself. But just like the other night, the thought of motherhood doesn't fill me with panic. I realized the source of uneasiness I've always experienced when faced with the thought of motherhood lies more in the person who was going to be the father and knowing he'd be a part of the rest of my life.

After witnessing Carlos & Julie together, I'm confident in the fact that he'll play an active, supportive role in parenting our children. That makes the whole thing seem easier and less frightening.

When Carlos reached his hand out to grab mine, Julie noticed the ring.

"Oh, my God! Is that an engagement ring?" Julie looked from her dad, to me, then back to her dad. She shot a 'Ranger-worthy' stare at Carlos and waited, tapping her foot for a response from him.

"Yes, Carina, it is. Stephanie agreed to marry me on Friday."

"Aww, Dad…Steph. I'm so happy for you! I knew you guys would get it together one of these days." Julie wrapped an arm around both of our necks and pulled us all into a group hug. Carlos wrapped his arm around my waist, tucking me against his body, securing his daughter to the other side. When we looked up, we saw Ron and Rachel standing on the sidewalk. Ron walked up and extended his hand to Carlos.

"Congratulations, Carlos. You've got yourself a beautiful woman here."

"Thanks, Ron," Carlos said as they exchanged a handshake.

Rachel approached Carlos and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Carlos, you've been alone for too long. It's nice to see you so happy and content. You deserve it." Carlos whispered a 'thanks' in her ear as she turned her attention to me.

"Stephanie, I knew when he had you help him get Julie back that you were very important to him. Carlos doesn't give his trust or ask for help from just anyone. And well, it's pretty obvious how Julie feels about this. So, my best wishes to you both." Rachel gave us a brilliant smile and returned to Ron's side.

"Rachel, Julie, keep this quiet, please. Steph and I haven't told her family, or mine, yet."

They both agreed to keep our secret and, after a short visit, Julie jumped into the backseat and we made our way to the restaurant by the sea. We had a great fresh seafood lunch that everyone enjoyed. When our meal was over, Carlos suggested we take a stroll along the boardwalk and take in the sights. We wandered in and out of several shops, then stopped at an ice cream stand. Julie could barely keep her cone from melting as she asked us a million questions about the wedding. Most of her questions, well actually all of them, we'd yet to discuss. Finally, Carlos held up his hand to stop her questions.

"Carina, Steph and I haven't talked about any of these things yet. We'll tell you as soon as we've made some decisions, okay? Don't worry, you'll be one of the first to know. You _are_ the first one to learn of our engagement."

That seemed to pacify her as she gave us a huge grin and finished her ice cream cone. All too soon, it was time to take her back home and get ready to return to Trenton. We delivered Julie to the door with kisses, hugs and promises to call her when we got home. She told us she wanted to discuss coming to Trenton and the wedding plans. She had stars in her eyes as she talked about our wedding, telling us she just knew it was going to be _so _romantic, and after my birthday, I had no doubt she's right. Carlos wouldn't have it any other way.

Returning to the house, Carlos told me to gather anything I wanted to take back to Trenton, while he went into his office to call the airfield to have the plane readied and arrange for someone from Rangeman to go get the car from the hanger after we left.

I sat the small duffle bag by the door, then made my way to the pool deck to wait for Carlos. It was just a few minutes until he arrived at my side.

"Ready to go?"

"Back to reality, huh? I guess I'm ready. It's been so nice and quiet here with just us. I'm going to miss it."

"Babe, we'll still be together back in Trenton. In fact, that's probably the first decision we need to make…where to live and where we'll stay tonight. Do you want to go to Haywood or your apartment?" He paused and pulled me tight into his chest before he whispered into my hair. "Please tell me we'll live together until the wedding, because I really don't want to sleep without you now that you're mine."

"I want that too, Carlos. Can we stay at my apartment tonight, one last time?" I asked, and he raised an eyebrow as he gave me a small nod. "First thing in the morning, I'll go talk with Dillon. Since my lease is up at the end of the month, we'll have time to move my stuff out."

"Steph, do you want to live at Haywood or should we look for a house away from the business?"

"I love the guys, but it would be nice to have something just our own, ya know?"

"Sure, Babe, I agree. How about I call the realtor tomorrow and we can start looking at properties?"

"There's no rush, Carlos. Let's take our time in choosing a house. I wish we could pick this one up and take it back to Trenton. It's so perfect and I love everything about it."

"We could build something similar to this, if you don't mind waiting, instead of looking at a pre-built house."

"Let's just see what's available first, then decide. Alright?"

"That sounds great, Babe. Now, let's get to the airfield. It's getting late and tomorrow will be busy for us both."

Carlos wrapped his arm around my waist as we left the pool deck, heading for the garage. He grabbed the bag by the door and tossed it in the trunk after he helped me into my seat. He slid behind the wheel, started the car and reached over for my hand, setting it gently on his right thigh. Carlos traced patterns on the back of my hand with his thumb as he drove.

In no time at all, we were pulling into the airfield. I had a big smile on my face when I saw Jim exiting the small office that adjoined the hanger; he was walking quickly towards us. I knew what his presence meant for the flight home. Yep, I was going to be sufficiently distracted from any worries regarding the return trip to Trenton.

Jim greeted us, stating the plane was ready when we were. I think I did a good job keeping myself calm and collected as we buckled ourselves into the lounge of the plane, even though my hormones were screaming in anticipation of what lay in store. As soon as we reached cruising altitude, Carlos unfastened my seatbelt and pulled me to my feet, taking a direct route to the bedroom in the back.

"Babe, about your membership to the mile-high club…"

_Oh, boy!_

**TBC**

Carina, translation-Sweetheart


	2. Announcements

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

**Disclaimer: **The characters in this story are not mine. Trust me, if they were mine "_Sizzling Sixteen_" would be all Ranger and Stephanie smut!

**Author's note:** Thanks to JenRar for her great Beta job, I appreciate your hard work and to Cara (my cheerleader).

Thanks to you, the reader, I truly hope you are enjoying this story. In future chapters, there will be humor, drama and of course, more smut; after all this _is _the Cuban Sex God we're talking about! I appreciate and love all of the reviews and alerts I've received, please keep them coming. I'll continue to update weekly. ~Angie~

**Chapter 2-Announcements**

The click of the seat belt sounded like an explosion in my nearly comatose state. I instantly jerked awake, swinging my arms out wide in defense, and I nearly connected with Carlos' head. He grabbed my arm just in time, as his dark chocolate eyes, filled with a touch of humor, looked down at me.

"Babe. Just keeping you safe here; no need to fight."

"Oh, geez, sorry."

"No problem. We're on final approach for Trenton; should be on the ground in 15 minutes."

I laid my head back against the soft cushion of the couch as Carlos buckled his seat belt, then grabbed my left hand, playing absently with the ring on my finger. I was too wiped out from the mile high activities we'd engaged in since we left Miami to do anything more than sit like a glob of boneless goo. I think it's safe to say, Carlos and I are now platinum carrying card members of the mile high club.

As soon as the engines shut down, Carlos leaned over and unbuckled my belt, then pulled me to my feet; when I was vertical, I wobbled a bit. Carlos reached out to steady me, then volunteered, "Need a lift, Babe?"

"No, I'm fine. Just give me a minute to get my bearings."

Carlos and Jim exchanged a few words before lowering the staircase. Carlos picked up our duffle bag and reached for my hand as we disembarked the plane. We settled into the Turbo and headed towards my apartment within just a few short moments.

**RPOV**

I took my right hand off the wheel to run my fingers through Steph's hair. Her head was resting on my shoulder as I drive and we're both lost in thought.

This has been an incredible weekend and just the beginning of our life together. My world is complete.

It seems impossible to me that I could be this happy. The stresses of my life are falling away in increments. First, the government contract that has hung over my head for years is gone. And now, Steph is going to be my wife; no more of the lone existence that made up my life before meeting her. I know that life won't always be _this_ good, but right now, I just want to take this feeling and savor it; wrap it tight around us. We're off to a good start. We've laid a good foundation. A foundation built on friendship, honesty and love. _The passion isn't half bad __either, Manoso__, but then there was never any doubt that would be a problem._ Sparks have flown between us since that first day in the diner. To be intimate with her is a high like no drug on this earth can bring. I'm addicted and I'm not interested in any twelve-step programs. It's going to be a lifelong addiction that I couldn't be happier about.

I can tell that Steph's not asleep by her breathing pattern, so I decide to break the usual silent driving 'zone'.

"Babe," I said softly.

"Hmm."

"We should talk about our plans for tomorrow. We need to stop by your parents' house and make a trip to Newark to tell mine. I don't think it would be in either of our best interests to let them hear our news from anyone else."

"I know. I'd already thought about this while you showered this morning. Do you want to take care of that first thing tomorrow?"

"After you talk to Dillon, we could pick up breakfast and then go see your parents."

"Plan on bribing them with donuts, do ya? Smart thinking, Batman." I can feel her cheek against my shoulder curve up in a smile.

"Babe, your dad's already aware of our engagement."

Silence…then, "Huh?"

"Steph, I wanted to do this right, so I talked to your dad before I picked you up for dinner at Rossini's. I know you're a grown woman and can make your own choices without your parents' permission, but it was a matter of honor for me to ask your dad. He deserves my respect and I want to earn his."

My curious Babe is on the job. "So how did that go with him?"

"Fine, he seemed pleased. He told me that he'd keep it to himself, so that we could tell your mom, Valerie and your grandma when we're ready."

"Ok, let's just handle it first thing. We won't have to stay long. Mom will be anxious to get started calling everyone in town to spread the news and Grandma will be haulin' ass down to her beauty shop to gossip with all her friends," she groaned. I know it bothers her to be the center of attention in the grapevine of the 'Burg.

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head before I lay my head on top of hers.

"Babe, it'll go fine. Things have been getting easier with them every time we're together."

"I'm not worried about the engagement. I just don't want to have her start with all the wedding planning. If we let her, she'll have our whole day planned out for us by sundown tomorrow night. I just don't want another fiasco like I had with the Dick."

"Steph, our wedding will be what we want it to be. We can plan it ourselves or hire a coordinator to carry out our wishes. I'll make that perfectly clear to your mom in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. I'm sorry my family's so crazy."

"Not your fault, Babe. So, after breakfast, we could stop by RangeMan to check in, and then head to Newark."

"Do any of the guys know about our engagement?"

"No. Only your dad."

"You think they'll be surprised?"

I rubbed gentle circles on her back as I responded, "Tank won't be surprised. He can read me pretty well and he suspected something was up before we left. The rest of the guys, hard to say. I'm sure bachelor party plans will be immediately underway." I had to suppress a groan. _Who knows what they'll come up with for that night's entertainment? God help me. _

We arrived at Steph's apartment, which holds several memories for us. I'm sure in some small ways, Steph will miss having a place of her own, but it'll be my mission to make new memories for us…together. I turned and glanced at her. She sat in her seat, her eyes cast to her bedroom window, then to the parking space next to us.

"That's where you kissed me the first time. Do you remember?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, Babe. Not something I'm going to forget."

She turned to look at me, "You had me twisted in knots after you kissed me. There was so much crap going on, then the kiss." A small smile touched her lips; warmth filled her eyes, "I never in a million years thought I'd be sitting here some three years later as your fiancée."

I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Regrets?"

She immediately shook her head, "Are you kidding me? I'm still hoping you don't change your mind and decide I'm more trouble than I'm worth."

"Not going to happen. Ever. Babe." I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead then raised her hand and placed my lips on her engagement ring. I opened my car door and went around to assist her from the car. We grabbed the bags from the trunk and walked arm in arm to the doors of the building.

We arrived into her apartment and got everything settled for the night. She went into the bathroom to finish her nightly ritual and I settled into her bed to wait. It wasn't long before she was pulling the covers back and settling next to me. She rolled to her side and I spooned her body with mine. _Heaven_. Always had been, and now, it always will be.

**SPOV**

I came awake in small degrees, instantly aware of the firm, warm body snuggled up to my back. A strong leg wedged between my thighs, an impressive hardness pressed against my ass. _Sweet Jesus, what a way to wake up in the morning_.

His deep, rich, sleep-ridden voice whispered in my ear, "Mornin, Babe." He tightened his arms around me, causing his erection to grind against me. This had us both moaning with pleasure.

Not able to stop my raging hormones, I shoved my hips back to apply some pressure and get this show on the road. Carlos understands me so well. His ESP was in fine working order, as were a few other pieces of his equipment. In the next instant, he'd lifted my thigh just enough to allow him direct access. He delved in with one massive stroke.

I let out a screech, dug my fingers into the sheet and fisted them there tight to keep myself in place. I didn't want to move an inch from the pleasure my fiancée was delivering. Not that that was an option, since his arms might as well have been steel bands around my middle.

He backed almost completely out of me then plunged back in before I could whimper a protest. His hand reached up to caress my nipple and his mouth went to work on my neck.

All I could do was lay there and take his glorious torture, damn the luck. Carlos could bring me to edge fast. He knows my 'triggers', and, in fact, his knowledge of my body is pretty extensive. He's earned his PhD in the past few days. What can I say? He's a quick study. I groaned and threw back my head, colliding with his toned chest as the first waves of the orgasm overtook my body. Of course, that's just round one for me; he's nowhere near his own climax. I've earned my own degree at Carlos Manoso University. Our ratio is like 4:1. _Am I a lucky gal, or what?_

Carlos grabbed my hips, gave us a twist and before I knew it, I was on my hands and knees with him still buried to the hilt inside me. Why I ever said I hated this position, I'll never know. It's fast becoming one of my favorites. The depth in which he penetrates me like this is overwhelming. I can feel every ripple of his cock as he slowly slides in and out with a steady rhythm. My second climax arrived without any warning, the force of it shaking me since I wasn't prepared for it. I dropped my shoulders and laid my head on the pillow. This got a moan from behind me as he went even deeper than before. I pushed back to meet his powerful strokes.

He ran a hand around my hip and between my lips until he found my clit, which he circled delicately, not quite putting the pressure where I wanted it most. The pace of his hips and fingers increased, as did my breathing pattern.

I was heaving air through my open mouth, completely focused on what he was doing to my body. When he pinched my clit, I went flying off the edge again. Not giving me a minute to come back to coherent thought, he continued and I knew he was getting close by his ragged breathing. I reached back between my legs to grab hold of his balls. I tugged on them lightly, eliciting a growl from him. _Oh yeah, I know Batman's 'triggers', too._

"Fuck. Babe!" he shouted in a whisper. He threw his body over my back as his climax arrived. I could feel his cock twitch with its release, causing my own body to answer in response. When my body tightened around him, he bit down on the spot where my neck and shoulder join.

"Carlos!" I screamed, unable and unwilling to hold back my satisfaction.

We fell flat to the mattress in a hot, sweaty heap. He was heavy on top of me, but I was too wiped out to do anything about it. If I died here from suffocation, well, I'd go happy and sated. There were worse ways to go.

Of course, he recovered first and rolled off me to sprawl on his back spread-eagle to my left side. I lifted my head lazily and turned it towards him. He'd thrown his right arm over his eyes, while his left one reached out to pet my left buttock. He looked pretty content, if I don't say so myself.

"Damn, Stephanie. It just gets better every time," he said with just a hint of a smile curving at the corners of his delectable mouth. He rotated his head towards me, piercing me with his warm, love-filled gaze.

My hand reached out to sweep back his hair from his forehead. I returned his expression and added, "I love you."

"Love you, too, Babe."

"Ready for a shower, Batman? You've really worked up a sweat this morning."

"As appealing as that invitation is, I'm going to pass. Since I'm already sweaty, I'm going to take my run. You want to come with me?" He raised his eyebrow in question.

"You _are_ kidding, right? It's going to take all my effort to make it into the shower. I don't think running like a million miles is on my agenda this morning, sorry."

"Okay, one last day off. But, Babe, this is it. Tomorrow, you run."

Well, isn't he the bossy one today. I can fix him. "Sure thing, Carlos. Of course, if you expect me to go running in the morning, we'll have to postpone some other forms of 'exercise' until after the run."

"Don't think so, Babe. Not sure I could stop myself from taking you when I wake up and I'm damn sure not going to try."

He bounded of the bed with energy I only wished I felt. I should be mad about his heavy-handed attitude, but who was I kidding? I doubted I could stop myself from having him either, and really, who would blame me?

Slowly, I made my way towards the bathroom. I realized this would be my last shower at my apartment. Today was a new beginning in my life with Batman. I took my time and enjoyed these last few moments. This bathroom had never been my favorite, but I did have a few memories to recall. I rinsed the last of the soap off and stepped from the shower stall to stand in front of the vanity. I'd just finished drying my hair when Carlos entered the bathroom, naked. Yum! Our eyes met in the mirror, then his traveled to the shower rod. I followed them and gave a smile. I knew exactly where his thoughts were traveling.

He shook his head and turned back to look at me. "I can't believe I walked away from you that night. How stupid."

My smile got bigger, as I remembered how embarrassed I was to have to call him after I'd just met him. I even surprised myself. I didn't think I had that much courage to call basically a stranger to come rescue me, naked and handcuffed to the shower rod. Damn Joe Morelli, for the hundredth time, for leaving me in that position. _What did I ever see in him anyway?_ I looked up at Carlos, who'd crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the closed bathroom door, watching me in my mental ramblings. Feeling some of the embarrassment returning, I quickly added, "We've come a long way since that night, haven't we?"

"Yeah, Babe, we have. I'd do things differently if I could go back to that night again," he said as he reached out and pulled me back towards him.

I turned and pressed myself into his embrace as I tipped my face up to receive his kiss. His tongue traced my lips before I granted him entrance to my mouth. Several minutes later, we separated ourselves and finished getting ready to face the day. I told him I was going to run down to Dillon's place to give notice.

When I returned to my apartment, Carlos was ready and waiting for me. Our duffle was sitting next to him on the couch. He grabbed it and my hand as we headed down to the Turbo. After as quick dash into Tasty Pastry, we were on our way to my parents' house. When we pulled to a stop at the curb in front of their place, we found Grandma Mazar waiting at the door. It was hard to miss her in her brightly colored outfit and flaming red hair. I winced at the sight and Carlos gave a low whistle of disbelief. I elbowed him in the side as we walked up onto the porch. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Are you going to be this feisty when you're her age?"

I replied saucily, "You can only hope, big boy!" I quickly pulled the door open before he could retaliate against me for calling him a boy. As soon as I cleared the opening, Grandma grabbed a hold of my left hand, retching it up to just an inch in front of her nose. Her eyes darted to mine then shot up to Carlos, who stood at my left shoulder, protectively behind me to evade Grandma's roaming hands.

Grandma startled us both when she shouted, "HOT DAMN! Now, that's a rock!" She pulled me into an embrace as my parents came charging into the room. Grandma separated herself from me and lunged at Carlos. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a hug and pushed the pastry box into her hands to keep them occupied.

Daddy gave me a big hug, placed a kiss to my forehead and said, "Be happy, Pumpkin. You got a good one this time."

I looked up into my father's face and replied, "I sure do, Daddy."

He turned towards Carlos while keeping an arm around my waist. He stuck his hand out and Carlos quickly clasped it. Looking straight into Carlos' eyes, he warned, "You'll remember your promise to me, right?"

Carlos nodded his head and stated simply, "Yes, sir."

As fascinating as this interchange was, I could feel myself being pulled away by my mom's hands. "Stephanie," she began, "congratulations. I hope you'll be happy with your choice."

"Mom, I've never been happier in my life. Carlos is a perfect match for me. We balance each other and accept each other completely; the good…and the bad." I met her hesitation with absolute confidence. Carlos wrapped both of his arms around me from behind and spoke softly to my mother.

"Mrs. Plum, I love your daughter. She's my entire world. Her happiness and safety will always come before my own."

The shocked expression on my mom's face was priceless. She was at a loss for words; not something I'd had the opportunity to witness too many times. Grandma nudged Mom's side and said, "Lighten up, Helen. Be happy for our girl. She's got a live one, that's for sure!" That did it. Mom's mouth flew open in outrage.

"Mother!," she gasped at my Grandma.

"Well, she does," my grandma defended herself. "What I wouldn't give to…" My mom grabbed a hold of the pastry box and promptly walked to the kitchen with Grandma in tow, still hanging onto the box.

My dad mumbling something about that 'crazy old bat' then turned and made his way to the living room to rejoin his television program.

I twisted in the circle of Carlos' arms and whispered, "Gosh, that went well."

I could feel his smile from where his face rested on the top of my head. "Yeah, Babe," he agreed.

We all gathered around the dining room table for pastries and coffee. Carlos had a plain bagel with fruit-flavored cream cheese spread, of course. Mom turned the conversation to what type of wedding we were planning.

Carlos wasted no time setting Mom straight on the facts regarding our wedding. He was very diplomatic about it but left no doubt that the choices would be ours and no one else's. My father was silent; his slight nod to Carlos spoke volumes though. Daddy was pleased as punch that Carlos wasn't going to allow Mom to bully me into what she wanted.

Settled into the Turbo and headed towards Haywood Street, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off me. My sigh of relief didn't go unnoticed by Batman. His hand slid over to my thigh as he threaded our fingers together and rested them there.

The reception of our news at RangeMan was a much louder and robust event than the one we had at my parents' house.

Tank slapped Carlos on the back as he shook his hand. "I knew you had something planned," he said with a smile as Carlos met my eyes. I laughed, the Big Guy might not say much, but he's very aware of what's going on around him and he did know Carlos pretty well.

Lester made a big production over 'kissing the bride' for luck. He tipped me into a deep dip and laid a kiss on my lips, which earned him a not so friendly 'tap' from Carlos. After that, the rest of the guys very politely kissed my check and congratulated us both. Before we left, another of Carlos' predications came true. Lester and Bobby were already discussing possible ideas for the bachelor party. I heard words Vegas and stripper before what sounded suspiciously like a groan from Carlos. He went into his office to check his messages and mail, then we were on our way to Newark to tell the Manoso family.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly by Maria and Ricardo Manoso. This was the standard issue with them. Affection ran like water in this household. It left no doubt in my mind where Carlos' habit of always being in contact with me came from. His parents still held hands and appeared to be deeply in love to this day. It was a sight to behold, especially after being raised in the Plum household, where affection was in short supply. I couldn't but help tease Carlos as he'd done earlier with me and Grandma Mazar.

"You going to be as devoted to me as your dad is to your mom, when we're married as long as them?" I inquired, knowing the answer already, but just wanting to hear it out loud.

"Without a doubt, Babe."

**TBC**


	3. Big Bets and Deals with Batman

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Author's note: Thanks to JenRar, my wonderful Beta and to Cara, my cheerleader.

Disclaimer: Ok, Santa, since these characters belong to JE, do you think you could leave something really nice under her tree, like maybe Diesel? She seems to be pretty into him these days. And then, while she's playing with him, you could scoop up Ranger and drop him off at my house. Think of it as 'regifting', it won't cost you anything but your time, really. I promise, I've been a very good girl and will be on my best behavior right up until Ranger's in my possession…then all bets are off! Oh yeah, bets…on with the story!

**Chapter 3-Big Bets and Deals with Batman**

_SPOV_

"Good morning, Babe," the voice so close to my ear whispered.

I had no idea what time it was, but I knew without a doubt it was too early and I was too tired. I attempted to ignore the voice of the sleep intruder and rolled to my side, pulling the pillow over my head. My movement came to an abrupt halt by a pair of strong hands.

"Oh, no, Babe. Not today. Today is running day. Time to get up." The voice was too cheerful and laced with too much humor for my way of thinking.

"Argh. No. Leave me alone, I'm still dreaming. I'm dreaming of you going on your run by yourself."

"Sorry, that's not happening today. I'm not going to let you go soft just because you're my fiancée now."

I risked a one-eyed glance at my early morning drill sergeant. _Damn, he looks good._ His hair was already damp and his shirt showed a bit of sweat stain. I did a mental happy dance. He'd already gone on his run and was just teasing me. However, my personal victory party was brought up short by his dang ESP.

"No, Babe, I haven't been on my run yet. I've been sparing with Tank this morning. I saved the run until I could go with you."

"Lucky me," I grumbled, beginning to realize that I might as well accept the fact that I would be exercising whether I was onboard with the idea or not.

I received a sexy one-eyebrow raise and the proverbial dangling carrot, which had me bounding out of bed, ready to go run. "I could arrange for you to get _lucky_ in the shower when we get back," Carlos soothed in just barely a whisper.

Hey, I might hate to exercise, but when you get an offer like that from the Cuban Sex God, you can be easily motivated. And of course, he knew that.

After the torture of the three miles, thank God he went easy on me and didn't make it five miles; I received my 'reward' in the shower. _Oh, boy._ I felt like Wonder Woman now, ready to face and conquer the day.

"So, Babe, what's your plan for today?" Carlos asked as he hauled his very prime, very naked ass into the dressing room to change.

I followed close behind, eyeing the merchandise that preceded me with appreciation. _Good grief, I just had multiple orgasms __not five minutes__ ago and I'm still not satisfied. _"Well, I guess I'll go downstairs and see how much work Rodriquez has piled up in my box. Then I guess I'll brave a trip to Vinnie's, and finally a stop by Mary Lou's."

Carlos had pulled on his clothes and was reaching into the safe to strap on his weapons while he told me of his plans for the day. "I'm going to start in my office this morning, but I have to meet a client for lunch."

"I'll probably grab lunch with Mary Lou. And I guess I need to start packing up my apartment sometime." I was really dreading packing up my stuff. There wasn't much to do, but still, it was just an unpleasant job that I dreaded.

"You want to start on that tonight?" Carlos asked as he poured us both a cup of coffee when we arrived in the kitchen.

"You're going to help me pack, Batman?" I slid his boring breakfast plate of granola and fruit onto the bar and seated myself to his right to enjoy my pancakes and bacon. _Thank you, Ella_.

"Sure, Babe. I'm all for having you settled permanently with me." The little snicker he gave me warmed my heart.

"Ok, well, how about I'll meet you there at six pm? If you bring a truck and I use mine, we can haul two loads back here tonight. I'll get over there earlier to start packing and you can bring pizza when you come." _Look at Stephanie, the planner! Wow, Carlos has rubbed off on me in __more ways than one._

"That works. I'll miss you today, Steph. I've enjoyed our last few days together." He wrapped me into his tight embrace from behind as I stood at the sink rinsing the dishes.

Finished with the job, I turned within the circle of his arms and snuggled against his broad, strong chest. "Aww, you're turning into a softy on me, Carlos."

"Don't let that get out, Babe. I have a reputation to uphold."

I tipped my head back to meet his eyes. "Your secret's safe with me, Batman. I wouldn't tell a soul."

Carlos sealed the deal with an earth moving kiss. We made our way to the elevator. Our ride to five was quiet as we rode in what I'd mentally titled our 'elevator position'. Carlos leaned into the back wall with his arms circling my waist as I pressed myself against his front and rested my hands on top of his at my stomach.

We arrived on the floor to a round of applause and hoots from the guys, who were off duty yesterday, when we told of our engagement. We were congratulated by at least six guys. They were already talking about the great plans Lester and Bobby had for the bachelor party. I could feel Carlos' whole body tense as I leaned against him outside his office door. He gave a nearly silent sigh of relief when his desk phone rang. He brushed a kiss to my temple then turned into his office to answer it.

I groaned when I looked at my inbox. It had overflowed and the bearer of all the files had kindly started a second pile right next to the box. _Gee, thanks_. I threw myself into my chair, fired up my computer and attempted to make a dent in the first pile. When the type on the screen was running together and my butt was numb, I decided a break was definitely in order. I trudged into small break room, making a beeline for the coffee maker. As I was gulping down the elixir of life, I turned and leaned against the counter just as Lester walked into the room.

"Hey, Beautiful. Whatcha doin?"

"Hey, Lester, I'm just grabbing a little coffee before I go back to the grindstone."

"Yeah, the boss is a tough man to please," he said with a snicker.

Rolling my eyes while I shook my head, I replied, "Boy, I'd sure hate to get on _his_ bad side! You seem better suited for that job. What exactly are you planning for his bachelor party?"

Lester laughed, "Oh, no, I'm not telling you. You're sleeping with the enemy."

I decided to just let this matter lie. I've other sources to tap for information if I felt the need. I picked up my coffee cup, snagged a cereal bar and headed for the door. I was just about through the doorway when Lester called out a question.

"You and Ranger coming to the Halloween party at the City Centre?"

"Don't know anything about it. Does he?"

"It's an annual event that most of the guys like to catch. Ranger usually stops by for a couple minutes, to show support; the cover charge goes to a children's charity."

"Is it a costume party?"

"Sure, most of the people dress up. Of course, Ranger usually wears his RangeMan uniform. You'd never get him into a costume."

"Santos, are you issuing me a challenge? Wanna put your money where your mouth is?"

"Bring it on, Bombshell!"

"Oh, man, it's going to be so good to be on the other end of this betting thing."

Lester and I decided on the amount of our bet. I knew that the pot would grow when word spread of our little game. I also had no doubt that the money was as good as mine. Now, I'm a smart woman and I know it won't serve me to keep this secret from Batman. No, for the second time this morning, Stephanie Plum had a plan and I marched off to my desk to start on phase one of the plan.

God bless Google! After about fifteen minutes of searching, I found the perfect 'couple' costume for us. I couldn't wait to tell him all about it, but it looked like I'd have to. His office door was closed and I needed to get to the bonds office. I sent a quick text message to Carlos, informing him that I was leaving and that I needed to talk to him about Halloween night. _Take that, Santos_!

I walked into Vinnie's, prepared to drop the engagement bomb on the girls. However, the 'Burg grapevine had already taken care of that little duty for me.

As soon as I had the door partially opened, Connie was already demanding, "Let me see the ring. Let me see it, now!"

Lula came charging at me like I was waving Cluck in a Bucket and she hadn't eaten in days. "White Girl, me first! Ain't I always got your back? I should get to see first!"

My left arm was practically ripped from my body as the girls fought for position and light to take in my ring.

"Stephanie, I can't believe that man is going to be your husband. And it was me who brought you both together!" Connie said with a little glare sent towards Lula.

Lula just put her hands on her hips and 'harrumphed' at Connie. They bombarded me with questions on the proposal, Carlos' house in Miami and, of course, our wedding plans. I tried to provide them just enough information to satisfy their curiosity, while holding a few of the most special moments to myself. Those were between Carlos and me, and not for public consumption.

When I arrived at Mary Lou's and saw the expression on her face, I knew that she'd heard the news as well. _Damn_. "Sorry, Mare. I would've called, but I wanted to tell you in person. Now someone else has taken care of that for me," I said sadly.

"Its ok, Steph. I know how it is; Lenny's mom was in the beauty shop when your grandma arrived with the news. She came straight over here to tell us all about it after her hair appointment."

"We were already on our way to Newark to tell Ranger's family at that time," I said, trying to use a tone of regret. I really hadn't meant to have Mary Lou find out from someone else.

I shared most of my memories of the last few days, leaving very little out. Mary Lou had been my best friend for years and she deserved the whole story. We shared a simple lunch and talked about the upcoming Halloween party. I asked Mary Lou if she thought her and Lenny could join us after the kids got done with the whole trick-or-treat thing. Before I left, Mary Lou agreed to check with a babysitter and talk to Lenny, then get back to me with their answer.

By three pm, I'd arrived at my apartment and started the tedious job of sorting my possessions. I quickly made three separate piles: pitch, donate and keep. The pitch pile was winning, followed closely by the donate pile and the keep pile was bringing up the rear. I stared at the keep pile with disgust; I had so little that I was really attached to. I was lost in thought when the locks clicked and the smell of pizza filled the tiny apartment.

"Hey, Babe. How's it going?" Carlos took in my expression and crossed the room to place the pizza box on the counter before returning to my side. He tipped my chin up so that he could see my eyes.

"It's going fine. I should be happy that there'll be so little to move, but instead I'm getting depressed because of it. And really, you have everything we need and my stuff's just junk and what do you even see in me?" I babbled out quickly.

"Whoa. That's enough of that, Babe." Carlos quickly lowered his lips to mine, stealing both of our breaths away. "Do you feel the connection? That's what I see in you. You complete me. The rest of this stuff, it's just filler. It's not as important as you."

The kiss had tripped the trigger on my desire, which must have set off the Bat-signal, because before either of us realized, I was naked and pinned against the wall. Carlos had me in such a state; all I could do was hang on and enjoy the ride. He undid his pants, and when they dropped to the floor, he positioned himself at my very wet entrance. The look he gave me, right before he pushed himself inside, was enough alone to bring on my first orgasm.

He set a slow, steady rhythm, his eyes locked on my face as he watched me enjoy the feel and power of him. I slid my hands up to tweak at his nipples, which was like his accelerator pedal and always increased his pace. Sure enough, slow and steady turned quickly into hard and fast, just the way I like it. He slammed his body into mine. I screamed his name as a powerful orgasm overcame me. His growl of fulfillment was just a minute behind. The pulse of his cock sent me over again. We finally stopped moving and just held each other. Both of us were breathing heavily; panting, really.

"Wow, Batman. Did you miss me today?" I asked as I ran my hand up to push back the damp hair from his forehead.

"Babe," he returned with a smile, "I think that's fairly obvious."

"Feel free to miss me anytime, if that's the greeting I'll receive."

Carlos slid me to my feet, picked up my clothes and followed me into the bathroom so I could clean up a bit before we ate dinner.

We finished the pizza and drank a couple of beers before packing most of the 'keep' pile into boxes. Carlos did most of the carrying to the trucks, with no argument from me. _Hey, I ran three miles this morning, thank you very much! He's the one who has to keep up the great body for his job!_ When the boxes I brought were all full, we decided to call it good and head back to Haywood.

When we arrived in the underground garage, Carlos started to carry the first load of boxes to the elevator. I asked him exactly where we were going with this stuff.

"Babe, I thought we'd put it in the apartment. Don't you want your stuff there?"

"I don't really need most of this stuff right away. Do you have a storage area somewhere? I know which boxes I'd like for now, but the rest can go into storage."

"There's an empty storage area here in the garage. We could use that, if you want."

Carlos set the boxes he was carrying down and grabbed my hand to take me to the far end of the garage, where I saw a metal double door. He slid a key into the deadbolt lock, threw the door open, then flipped on the light switch. The room was about ten feet by ten feet, just the perfect size for all my stuff. Heck, there'd still be room left.

"This will work great. It'll be handy for when we move to a house, since its right here in the garage."

"Ok, Babe. Let's move the trucks down to this side then off load the stuff."

We worked in a comfortable silence, stacking the boxes neatly against the side walls. When the trucks were unloaded, we walked hand in hand to the elevator. We assumed our 'elevator position' and traveled to the seventh floor.

Carlos walked into the kitchen to get us both a bottle of water, while I flopped down on the couch. He quickly sat next to me and gave me the water. Carlos snuggled me into his side. I could feel my eyes drooping close. I sat up suddenly, causing some of my water to splash out onto my jeans. _Oops_.

"Babe, what is it?"

"Omigod! I forgot to tell you about the bet I got going with Santos."

"Would this be regarding Halloween?" he inquired with one eyebrow raised.

"Have you heard already?" I made a mental note to myself to think of something really nasty to do to Lester.

"Babe, I'm not wearing a costume."

"Come on, it'll be fun," I said in my best cheerleader voice.

"No."

"Ok, Batman, what'll it be? What sort of price are we talking here? I've found the perfect 'couple' costumes for us. And you know Halloween is my favorite holiday." Okay, so I was pouring it on pretty thick, but hey, I wanted to win this damn bet.

"What sort of costume?"

"Well, I'll be wearing a really, really short skirt. The top's pretty low cut, too," I purred, as I ran my hand up the inside of his thigh.

"Keep going."

_Did he mean with my story or my hand…hmm? _I thought I needed to 'apply some pressure' to help insure a victory. "Your costume is more like a suit really. Not much different than 'business Ranger.' When I saw these costumes, they reminded me of our return flight from Miami."

"In what way?"

I've just about got him hooked, I can feel it. "Um, remember your promise to make me a member of the mile high club?"

"Yes, I remember." His eyelids had dropped to almost closed as I lightly stroked his ever increasing cock.

"Ok, so you'll be the 'mile high pilot' and my costume is the 'mile high stewardess'."

"I enjoyed that flight home. _A lot_. And at least this costume doesn't sound that bad. But, Babe, it's going to take more than that to get me in it."

"Alright, name the price," I said with exasperation, and pulled my hand out of his lap.

"Babe, there is no price, remember?"

"Carlos, come on! I really want to win this bet!" _Okay__, so I whined…sue me!_

"I think this is going to involve handcuffs." He gave me a hint of a smile, then returned my hand to his erection.

"Handcuffs?" I squeaked. _Oh, God. Handcuffs and Batman. What sort of deal am I getting myself into?_

"I promise, you'll like it," he whispered into my ear, sending a bolt of electric current straight south to my doodah.

"Ok, I guess." I kept my eyes down and refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how turned on the idea made me.

He wrapped me into a tight embrace and kissed the top of my head. Then he stood, tugged me to my feet and steered us towards the bedroom. When we arrived next to the bed, he reached into the nightstand and pulled a pair of cuffs from the drawer.

"Right now?!" I nearly shouted, not sure if I was quite ready for this, despite my early bravado.

He took in my startled expression and laughed out loud. "Oh, no, Babe. I just wanted to see what you'd do. I'm going to wait to collect my payment."

"Great," I replied, thinking we'd been down this road before.

"Anticipation is the best part, Stephanie." He breathed the words into my neck as he blazed a trail of kisses down to my collar bone. As his hands made their way under my shirt and to my nipples, I was ready to grab the handcuffs myself.

We fell into bed and made slow, passionate love. I was completely sated and exhausted after the long day. I lay on my side with a very warm Carlos snuggled into my back. One of his hands was tracing a circle on my hip bone and the other was playing with a curl of my hair. I closed my eyes and just savored the feeling of safety, comfort and peace that had settled around me. I sighed an 'I love you', heard the sentiment returned in his deep timbre, and then fell into a restful sleep.

**TBC**

Okay, so this whole chapter was SPOV. Next chapter is all Ranger...yum! Please review, it means so much to all the writers on this site. Thanks and Happy Holidays!


	4. Good Deals

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Disclaimer: They're all hers! Don't you think she should share? I mean, come on, all I want is Ranger! Am I asking for too much?

Author's note: Ok, so this chapter is all RPOV (do you mind?). Ranger's potty mouth comes out to play, excuse him; he's on the naughty list. Dontcha love a bad boy?

My special thanks to my terrific Beta, JenRar, who encouraged me to 'expand' this chapter and to Babealltheway, who gave me the idea for the locker room scene. Thanks, Babes!

Chapter 4-Good Deals

**RPOV**

Four thirty am; the best time of day, as far as I'm concerned. The woman who lay tucked snuggly against my side would argue that point vigorously. I didn't even try to stop the smile that broke across my face at the picture that brings to mind. She, unlike me, is not a morning person. Since moving into RangeMan, more precisely my seventh floor apartment, she's getting better at the early morning musters. I know she dreads the runs, but I get such a kick out of 'coercing' her into joining me; I just don't see myself ever giving that up. She seems to come up with new excuses or complaints everyday to try and discourage my attempts.

After seeing the results the exercise has had on her body, being that she's more toned than she's ever been, I'm not likely to be distracted from my goal to keep her healthy. The exercise has made the biggest difference in her physical appearance, but the decrease in her sugar intake has helped as well. Again, not something I'm going to discourage. I AM her jelly donut…life is good, hell yeah!

The first 'deal' I'd made with Stephanie resulted in a night of unforgettable sex. The morning after, though… what a fucking mistake I made of that. The conditions of _that_ deal were all wrong. _Stupid, Carlos, just __stupid._Here we are in another 'deal', although this one will be mutually satisfying to us both. She wins the bet with Santos by getting me to wear the costume, which I would have worn for her anyway without the deal, and I get to venture on the 'wild side' with my Babe. Yes, this is a win-win situation. There was no reason for her to find out that I would have worn the costume regardless of the deal. I'm a smart man, after all.

I haven't been an altar boy in my sexual endeavors. The Army taught me many things. It also took me to various locations where sexual experiences differed from American views. I'm not unaware of the effect my physical appearance has on the female population. Combine that with the fact that I was a horny GI on leave in a foreign country with nothing but time on my hands… let's just say there wasn't much I didn't try at least once.

The experiences I've had in my past would add curls to my already curly-haired fiancée. I know her well enough to know she's not going to venture too far into erotica, but I think I can 'broaden her horizons'. Handcuffs are the perfect tool for the introduction I have planned. I'm confident the experience will be one we'll _both_ enjoy immensely.

Actually, I foresee a lot of 'deals' in the future of our relationship. We both have strong ideas about what we want and how things should go. These deals just allow us to compromise, with each of us leaving the table with something we wanted and getting something in return. It works for us. The future is now more valuable to me than any other time in my life. It's something I embrace, look forward to, not take for granted or taunt with dangerous missions that put the future in jeopardy. Stephanie has done this for me; it's an invaluable gift that I treasure.

The temptation to deliver a unique wake-up call to my Babe was great, but I decided to forgo that pleasure until later. Instead, I slipped out of bed quietly, stopped in the bathroom, practiced some deep breathing exercises to relax the 'wood' and then threw on shorts, a t-shirt and athletic shoes before I exited the apartment.

When I arrived in the gym, I found several men already in various phases of their workouts. In the sparing ring, Tank and Santos were squared off. They didn't notice my approach, so I stood back, watched and waited for a break in the action. A short time later, Santos fell at my feet. He laid there breathing heavily. He flipped to his back and contemplated the ceiling tiles. I squatted next to his head, looking down into his battered face. "Santos, Tank is handing you your ass. It's pathetic."

"Thanks for caring," Santos replied in a voice that was slightly slurred, probably due to the fact that his lip was swelling at an alarming rate.

"You should get use to having your ass handed to you. Steph's going to be doing the same on Halloween. Make sure you bring your wallet. You're going to have to pay up," I whispered the taunt next to his ear. I rose to my feet, intending to head to the free weights, when realization hit Santos.

"You're going to wear a costume? No way, man! You never dress up for that party. This was a sure win for me; I can't believe you caved. Shit."

"Santos, you underestimated her _incentive_ options. They're much better than anything you can offer." I raised my eyebrow and looked directly at him, leaving no doubt to what I was referring to.

"Fuck!" he gritted out between clenched teeth.

Tank busted out laughing, "That's about right. You deserve it, jackass. My money was on her all along." Tank none too gently kicked Santos in the shoulder before making his way to the locker room, his laughter leaving a trail that could be heard until he slammed the door.

I went through my lifting routine with practiced efficiency. I decided to do an express work-out, because I planned on bringing Stephanie back down here after our run. I know that's going to cost me, _big time_, but I wasn't too worried.

Since it was still too early to go upstairs, I headed to the locker room to spend a little time in the steam room. When I hit the door, I stripped out of my sweat-soaked clothes and grab a towel from the rack. I noticed Tank in one of the six whirlpools against the west wall. He had his body completely submerged and his head resting back, eyes closed.

"Tank!" I shouted. He instantly sat up straight in the whirlpool.

"Shit, man! You scared me. I _was_ sleeping," Tank groaned, shooting me a look of displeasure.

"I'm not sure if RangeMan's insurance policy covers incidental drowning by sleep. No one would believe it was you if it happened. The likely suspect would be Steph."

"That girl sure loves her sleep. Never seen anything like it."

"How long you been in there, man? You shouldn't exceed 30 minutes," I advised, knowing how fast a body can dehydrate in the extreme temperatures the whirlpool offers.

"What are you, my mother?"

"Damn, you're in a bitch of a mood. Go ahead, die in the fucking whirlpool. I warned you."

"Fuck, Rangeman, you're right. Santos may look the worse for wear, but he got in a few good blows. Hell, I'm getting too old for this shit!" Tank rose from the water and padded over to the rack to grab a towel. "I have to spend more and more time in the whirlpool after a sparing session. The last time I got in the ring with you, I was in here for nearly an hour!"

Tank began to dry himself off. I shook my head in understanding. He and I had been through a lot together over the years. Gotten out of situations where the odds were pretty much stacked against us… Those times had left scars and injuries that lasted. I hated to admit it, but we were both getting older and had put our bodies to the test.

I was nowhere near throwing in the towel, though. I still have a lot of fight left in me. I just realized that with age, your reaction time slows some and in our business, fractions of seconds mean the difference between life or death. That's why regular exercise and diet are so important to me now. Stephanie would read me the riot-act for weeks if she'd seen the way I use to eat, _what_ I used to eat, just a few short years before I met her. Fuck, my metabolism had slowed down when I hit thirty and I had to start paying more attention. Sometimes life just sucked!

While I was lost in thought, Tank had stood staring at me. I'd be giving Stephanie more ammo if she'd seen how unaware of my surroundings I was, but hey, Tank was right here. He's always had my back.

"What sort of hellcat _is_ Steph in bed?"

"What the FUCK kind of question is that?"

Tank's laugh roared out of his body. He doubled over, slapping his hand against his thigh. "The expression…on your face…man…priceless!," he finally got the response spit out between fits of laughter. He pointed to the inside of my leg, "That! Is that a fucking hickey?"

I looked down at my left leg. _Yep_, massive hickey there. I thought back to last night. I remembered…the shower, the blowjob, the hickey. _Damn_! It had been an unbelievable experience for me, although I'd paid her back. She'd be sporting a few bruises of her own today. Not in places anyone but me would see, of course.

"Right, like you're a saint! I'm sure Lula's about all you can handle in the bedroom, funny guy," I snapped back. He and I both knew that the women in our lives were going to keep both of us on our toes for a long time to come.

"The things that woman can do…Shit! It blows my fucking mind! I've never had it so good," Tank agreed with a smile on his face. We both shared a look that spoke volumes; we were smart enough to realize what we had with Stephanie and Lula. We'd spent a lifetime hopping around in different beds, only finding a few moments of pleasure, before the emptiness settled back in. Maybe life didn't suck all the time; it definitely had its good moments!

While he got dressed, we talked about what was on our agendas for the day. A conference call with Miami at ten this morning. Another with Boston at one this afternoon. Some accounts that needed to have a physical walk-through. Plus, all the other various duties that RangeMan entails. When the conversation was over, I made my way to the steam room. While I sat in the humid environment, I thought that this was a room I needed to get my Babe into, and soon. Seeing her all hot and sweaty did things to me… _good _things, that she'd enjoy too.

After about twenty minutes, I called myself done. I pulled on my running clothes then made my way up to seven to wake Sleeping Beauty and drag her kicking, screaming and eventually running our three mile circuit. _I wonder what sort of 'deal' I'll have to make to get her out of bed?_

**TBC**

_**Author's note: **__So what do you think? Please review and let me know! Reviews are like gifts, and we all love gifts, right? Next chapter will be the infamous handcuff chapter, just in time for the holidays, stay tuned!_


	5. Sweet Treats and Unpleasant Surprises

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

**Disclaimer:** Ok, this is my final request, Santa. Please bring me Ranger for Christmas! If you drop by Janet's house, you'll probably find him stashed in a closet somewhere, since she doesn't like to play with him anymore. Trust me; I'll put him to good use!!

**Author's note:** Thanks to JenRar, Jenny, my outstanding Beta! And to girlygirl79, Cara, my cheerleader…love ya, Babe! I added the 'Morelli' incident in this chapter based on a review I had a couple chapters ago; sorry, I lost your name but thanks for the idea! Hope you like it! Send me ideas, and who knows, maybe I'll use your idea as well! Thanks for reading, now on with the story…

Chapter 5-Sweet Treats and Unpleasant Surprises

**SPOV**

Ah…Halloween morning, my favorite holiday of the whole year. The day was already off to a very good start. Living with Batman has started to turn me into a morning person. Who would have ever thought that would happen?

The day was greeted in the usual manner, a warm Cuban body pulling me from my slumber. I only offered the token protest on principal, and I didn't put too much effort into it, because we're both aware I didn't mean it. A few orgasms later, he used my weakness and glorious afterglow to drag my ass on the morning run. Again, I argued, but only as a way to strike a deal with Batman, insuring I'd receive a 'reward' for my good behavior. Today, I bartered a day off from running tomorrow. After all, tonight is party night and I plan on drinking way too much, not to mention all the candy I plan on consuming today. I'll be in no shape to run at the crack of dawn tomorrow!

I'd snuck some contraband into the office earlier this week. The utility closet held my bounty, all my favorites. I mean, have you seen the candy aisle at this time of year? It's a junk food addict's paradise! No doubt, Batman will not be pleased when he finds out about the treats, but I have confidence in my ability to sufficiently distract him. He does pay me the big bucks for my distraction techniques, right?

I exited the shower and begin the process of taming my curly hair. I was muttering to my hair, threatening to chop it all off if it didn't cooperate, when a hard body pressed itself against me. I felt soft, hot lips settle on my neck just below my ear.

"Babe. Don't talk like that. Your hair is one of my favorite parts."

"Oh, yeah? Wanna list any others?" I met his eyes in the mirror. They had turned a much darker shade of chocolate brown.

"Not enough time." He slid one hand between my legs, while other fondled my breast. "These would be towards the top of the list."

A purred erupted from deep in my throat, as he worked his magic on one of my _favorite _spots.

"Babe, I'm sorry. I can't finish this. I've got a meeting in fifteen."

I sighed as he stepped away from me and turned the water on in the shower. It's amazing how quickly he can shower when I'm not in there to entertain him. He was out in five minutes flat. He exited the bathroom and was fully dressed before I could even pull my panties on. "Looking good, Babe," he whispered as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. He grabbed his weapons and strapped them on as he headed for the door. "I'll see you downstairs later." Then, he was gone, nothing but his lingering smell of Bvlargi. Damn, guys have it so easy, especially when they went commando. Two articles of clothing, a pair of socks and they're out the door.

Nearly ten minutes later, I'd finished dressing. I made my way to the kitchen and sat down at the bar to eat my solitary breakfast. When I lifted the lid covering the tray, I found a note in my dish of strawberries. 'Love ya, Babe,' was written on the scrap of paper in Carlos' uniformed print. That put a smile on my face and a warm tingle in my doodah area. Flashbacks of our weekend in Miami filled my mind as I ate my breakfast. I rinsed the plates and placed them in the dishwasher before heading down to my desk on five.

As I stepped from the elevator, I immediately noticed that the entire Comm. Room had been transformed for Halloween. There were motion activated decorations, spider webs placed from the top of cubicles stretching to the ceiling and a big banner that read, 'Happy Halloween, Bombshell!' When I walked into the breakroom, I found my contraband had already been put in dishes and sat along the counter. Cookies, drinks and some candy apples had been added to my goodies. Ella was just finishing with the plates and napkins.

"Happy Halloween, dear," Ella greeted me, giving me a hug. I must have looked a little shocked.

"Did you do all this?" I questioned, surprised and touched that someone had gone to this much trouble for me.

"I did some; mainly the food. Carlos found the candy, probably the same day you stashed it in the back of the utility closet." Ella's voice filled with amusement. I made a mental note to step up my covert operations when dealing with Batman.

Lester busted into the room before Ella could explain the Comm. Room. "Hey, Bombshell, Happy Halloween!" He snagged an iced, pumpkin shaped cookie, popping it in his month quickly.

"Afraid of getting caught?" I suppressed a giggle as Lester looked like he'd just literally been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Nope. Boss knows all about this; gave his approval last week. Thanks for getting the candy, by the way. It saved me a trip. You need to find a better hiding place, though, next time."

"What? You know about that too?" Okay, now I was just getting mad. I thought I'd done a good job sneaking the stuff into the building.

"Yep. As soon as you left for the day, we all went to go see what you hid." Lester grabbed a Snickers bar and stuffed it into his pocket.

Scanning the buffet of junk food before me, I selected a package of M&Ms and made my way towards the door. I stopped, looking over my shoulder at Lester. _Time to change the subject. _"You got my money ready for tonight?" I smiled sweetly, popped an M&M in my mouth and breezed out of the door.

The grunted, "Fuck! Yes," was music to my ears. It was going to be so good to be on the receiving end of this betting business.

The Comm. Room really did look great. The guys had pulled out all the stops. The whole day had a 'party' atmosphere, and before I knew it, my day was done. I was just starting to shut my computer down and put my files in my desk when I got the familiar tingle. "Good afternoon, Carlos," I greeted him without raising my eyes from my task.

His warm hand settled on the nape of my neck. "Babe." He spun the chair around so that I faced him. Carlos placed his hands on either side of my chair, leaned down to eye level and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss deepened, and I raised my arms to weave them around his neck. Things were starting to really get interesting when the catcalls began. Carlos pulled back, his forehead resting for a minute against mine, before he offered his hand to help me to my feet. He tucked a curl behind my ear as he spoke, "Don't you need to get upstairs? We need to leave around seven. Dinner's at eight."

"I was just going. When will you be up?"

"I'll be there in about forty-five. I've got a couple of contracts to go over before I call it a day."

I gave him a nod and brushed a kiss to his lips as he settled his arm around my waist. He walked with me to the elevator. I gave him a finger wave as the doors closed and I ascended to the apartment.

The low whistle from the handsome pilot had me preening in front of him. I strutted up to him, picked up his pilot's hat and settled it low on his brow. He looked absolutely edible. _What is it about a man in uniform?_ The costume hugged his body in all the right places. His shoulders looked so board and powerful. I was definitely looking forward to racking up some frequent flyer miles with him!

**RPOV**

I finished buttoning the coat of the costume. This could have been a lot worse. When she'd said she wanted me to dress up in a costume for this party, I'd really expected to go as Batman. It seemed the obvious choice. But, my Babe never disappoints. The pilot costume was basically no different than my business suit. The reminder of our return trip to Trenton would play over in my thoughts through tonight. Until I could get her home, that is, then I plan on 'cashing' in on my deal. The handcuffs were coming out of the drawer and a fantasy of mine was going to be fulfilled.

When she stepped into the room, my breath caught. She has that power over me. I wondered how many threatening stares I'd have to issue tonight. The guys were going to shit when they saw her. I'm a lucky man.

The skirt of the dress barely covered her ass. She had an adequate amount of cleavage showing, and the slightest bit of lace from her bra peeked from the opening, which just added to the sexiness. She stood nearly eye to eye with me in the four-inch heels she wore. They looked like ice picks attached to shoes. Steph could use them as a weapon if the situation presented itself. Always good to have options when dealing with my fiancée, because one just never knew what could happen. You had to be prepared for anything.

"Babe, you look…well, hot. Remind me next year, because I think I'll pick out the costumes. I have all sorts of ideas." And man, did I. A dominatrix or Army chic was scoring real high on the charts for me.

"Do I trust you that much?" She tapped her fingernail against her bottom lip in thought.

"Paybacks, Babe." I leaned forward and ran my tongue along her finger, pulling the tip into my mouth to suck lightly at it.

Her eyes shuttered closed, and a purr erupted from her as she wrapped her arms around my waist. I knew we needed to get out of this apartment, and fast, or we would never make it to the party. Stephanie had a bet to collect, and I was going to enjoy showing my fiancée off.

I grabbed ahold of her trench coat from the back of the couch and held it out for her to slide into. She belted it and reached for my hand. The coat was long, ending at the knees. It disguised the full effect of her costume. I knew exactly when I wanted it taken off upon our arrival at the party.

We took the Turbo. The drive was quiet as Stephanie touched up her hair and make-up, which had suffered some damage as she'd slid into the car. The skirt was so tight that, when she put her legs into the car, she'd offered me an irresistible view. I'm an opportunist, enough said.

The RangeMan table was front and center of the ballroom. Perfect. I caught Morelli's eye as I reached for Stephanie's coat. His expression darkened as I removed her coat and draped it over an empty chair. She gave me a brilliant smile. The love for me visible on her face. I flicked a glance to Morelli. Yep, he'd seen the whole exchange. I didn't even try to stop the smile that broke out across my face. This was a petty thing, really. But, after years of watching the two of them together, well, now it was my payback time. Let him feel some of the pain I'd experienced. I'm a better man because of it. I know what I have and I'll never take her for granted. She's mine. Forever.

"Damn, Bomber! You trying to give everyone a heart attack?" Bobby said, as I engaged in my stare down with Morelli.

"Yeah, Bombshell, I bet your 'service' is first class," Santos leaned in to whisper in Stephanie's ear.

Unfortunately for him, I have excellent hearing. "Santos, six am, mats."

Stephanie stifled a giggle as Santos cursed under his breath. She didn't waste anytime collecting her bet. "Um, Les, I believe Ranger is in costume. Pay up!"

The cursing continued as Santos reached for his wallet. Money was exchanged around the table. It seemed the entire company had gotten in on the action.

All in all, the night was very enjoyable. Dancing with Steph was a true pleasure. My Cuban heritage thrives on dance; it's like making love in public. We only sat out a few songs, choosing to be in each other's arms instead. This was our first time out in public as an engaged couple. The only time we were off the dance floor was when we were visiting with well-wishers.

Morelli came over about halfway through the evening to offer his congratulations. When he arrived at the table, Stephanie was in the middle of telling a story to Tank.

"I just threw my hands out like this…," she said as she flung her hands out over her head. The diamond of her engagement ring caught Morelli across his cheek.

"Shit, Cupcake!" He shot off, grabbing a napkin to stop the bleeding.

"Oh, Joe, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were standing there." Stephanie immediately jumped up from the table, and when her chair flew back, it connected with a waiter. The waiter stumbled, and his entire tray went flying. Most of it landed on Morelli. The entire table burst into laughter, which only got louder as Stephanie defended herself with, "It wasn't my fault!"

Surprisingly enough, Morelli took it all in pretty good stride. He picked a few strands of spaghetti off the front of his shirt and offered me his hand. "I guess she's your mess now."

"She's mine, but you're the mess, Morelli." I shook his hand and tried hard to suppress my laughter as I handed him some more napkins. "You got some stuff in your hair," I volunteered, pointing in general direction of where it lay.

He took the napkins and bent in to give Stephanie a kiss on her cheek. She held up her hands in the stay back gesture.

"Carlos is right. You're a mess, Joe," Stephanie giggled as she looked Morelli up and down.

"Be happy, Cupcake. That's all I wanted to say." Morelli nodded to me, squeezed Stephanie's hand and left the party.

I think the entire room breathed a sigh of relief when he left. I'm sure no one expected either of us to leave the party without bloodshed, but after our little 'discussion' outside of Rossini's a couple of weeks ago, we'd come to an understanding. We'd both have to keep our tempers in check to maintain our professional relationship. It was necessary, and it seemed that tonight, Morelli realized that as well.

It was nearly eleven pm, and my Babe was feeling no pain. She'd had a couple of tequila shots, courtesy of Santos. He'd pay for that in the morning. Six am couldn't come fast enough for me! I had plans for later tonight that didn't include Stephanie drunk off her ass.

I practically carried her out to the car. She took a nap on the way back to Haywood. When we arrived at the apartment, I went to make some coffee. We settled on the couch with our cups as we talked about what we were going to do over the weekend and caught up on some work things. It seemed that the alcohol had worn off for the most part, leaving her with just a bit of a buzz. I figured the relaxed state would ease some of her inhibitions. Tonight might venture even further than I'd originally thought.

She seemed pleased when I had her totally naked and laid out on the bed. I removed my coat, socks and shoes, leaving my pants on for now. When I pulled the handcuffs from the drawer and dangled them from my fingertips, her eyebrows raised. I stretched her arms above her head, intending to secure her wrists to the iron headboard. Just as I was about to clamp the first bracelet to the bed, my cell phone rang. _What the fuck?! _I snatched the offending thing from the bedside table, flipped it opened and barked, "Talk" into the phone.

"Mr. Manoso?" The uncertain, unfamiliar voice asked from the other end.

"Who wants to know?" I wanted this conversation over quickly; I had better things to do than talk to some fool in the middle of the night.

"Officer Yates, with the Florida State Police."

An immediate sense of panic settled over me, "Yes, I'm Carlos Manoso."

"Sir, your daughter's been involved in a car accident."

**TBC**

**Author's note-#2**- Ok, I know this was cruel, leaving the 'handcuffs' hanging; but I have a plan! Anticipation _is_ really a good thing, right?

I'd like to wish everyone Happy Holidays, whatever your religious motivation. May your New Year be full of laughter, good health and love! See ya in 2010, with the next chapter!!


	6. You're not alone

**Best Wishes**

by: amkp

Disclaimer: Well bummer, Ranger wasn't under my Christmas tree. JE must have had him hid well and Santa couldn't find him to bring him to me. I had plans for him…big plans, dang it! So I guess he's still hers, argh!

Author's note: Ok, while I was an EMT several years ago, my medical knowledge has faded quite a bit. So for those of you, who are in the medical profession, please excuse anything I do that is incorrect or off center with what would 'actually' happen and allow me some creative license, thanks!

Chapter 6-You're not alone

**RPOV**

It took a moment for his words to penetrate my lust-clouded mind. I had to switch gears, and fast! Mio Dios, this was a scene from every parent's worst nightmare.

I had reasons, good reasons, why I'd maintained my distance with Julie. I'd had to re-evaluate my position on that decision over the past couple years. As a result, I'd founded a relationship with my daughter that I'd never before thought possible. Even though I don't participate in the day-to-day parenting responsibilities with her, she is still one of the most important people in my life. The love I feel for her is on an equal playing field to Stephanie.

The thought that I might have lost her at such a young age is enough to bring me to my knees. "Her condition?" I asked, my voice cracking with emotion, dread filling my body with the possibility of what his response will be.

"She's already been transported. She was conscious when she was loaded into the ambulance. Mr. Manoso, I'm familiar with your company here in Miami. Could you meet me at the University of Miami Hospital in twenty minutes? I'll be happy to tell you everything regarding the accident at that time," the officer stated politely.

"Officer Yates, I'm in Trenton, New Jersey. I can be on a plane within the hour. Could you give me the basic details now?"

"Of course. We found your information in Rachel Martine's wallet."

"What is Rachel's condition?" I interrupted immediately.

"Mrs. Martine was in the front seat. Her injuries are more serious than your daughter's, who was riding in the back seat. I might as well tell you now, Mr. Martine was DOA…I'm sorry."

A sharp knife to the chest couldn't have been more painful. My mind flashed on pictures of the man who had filled my role all these years as Julie's father.

With my career in the Army and my sequential jobs with RangeMan, I've had to witness and deal with death many times. It doesn't get easier. You feel pain with each life taken, whether by your hand or someone else's, and it leaves a mark on your soul.

I hung my head and took a deep breath. Stephanie clasped my hand. My eyes locked with hers as I mouthed, 'accident' and gave her the one minute sign. She bolted upright in bed, pulling the sheet around her body. Her tender heart and incredible intuition already telling her there was a serious problem, her eyes were filled with tears of worry. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, as much for myself as for her.

Office Yates must have been concerned, because his voice was strained when he spoke again, drawing me back into the conversation. "Mr. Manoso, I know this must be a shock."

"Yes. Yes, it is. I'm sorry, please continue."

"The Martines were traveling northbound on I-95, when a driver from the southbound lane crossed the median and hit their car head-on. The driver of the other car was also DOA and it appears he was driving under the influence. Your daughter and Mrs. Martine sustained serious injuries. Mrs. Martine had to be cut from the car, then transported to the hospital. Your daughter was the first to be taken from the scene. I'm unsure of the extent of her injuries. The hospital will be able to give you more information."

"Thank you, Officer. I'll contact the hospital and be en-route to Miami immediately."

The call ended and I told Stephanie everything that Officer Yates had said. We quickly got dressed and threw the bare necessities into a duffle bag. When we arrived at the garage, Stephanie ran around to the driver's side, hand extended for the keys.

"I'm driving. You're the one who needs to make most of the phone calls. You do that while I drive. No arguments!"

"You're right, Babe. Let's go." I wasn't going to waste time disagreeing with her so I placed the keys in her palm. This was a better arrangement. It would allow me to take care of everything and not have to worry about my driving.

Stephanie put the Turbo through its paces while I called the hospital to get an update on Julie and let them know my approximate ETA to Miami. Julie was in x-ray and an evaluation of her exact condition would be available after the doctors reviewed her films. They'd had to sedate her to keep her from further injuring herself, so she wasn't coherent enough to speak with me. I was told Rachel's condition and injuries would not be released to me, since I wasn't her husband or Medical Power of Attorney. We'd have to wait until we arrived at the hospital to learn more than the officer had already to me.

My next call was to the hanger. There was a 24-hour attendant at the facility that could pull the plane onto the tarmac; the rest of the pre-flight duties would fall on me. I didn't even ask if Jim was available for the flight. I wasn't waiting. We'd be wheels up as soon as the plane passed my inspection.

The final call was to Tank's voicemail. The message was brief, stating only that Julie had been involved in an accident and that Stephanie and I would be in Miami and offline until further notice. I told him we'd be available on our cells, should anything arise that needed our immediate attention. I allowed myself to let go of any worries regarding RangeMan. Tank was more than capable of running the company for an indeterminate amount of time. He'd only call me if it was absolutely necessary. I was thankful I had him to fall back on in times like these.

I'm not a deeply religious man, but I spent the rest of the drive in quiet prayer. I prayed for Julie first, then for Rachel. Losing her mother would nearly kill Julie emotionally. She's already going to take Ron's loss hard, since he'd been her constant father figure her entire life. To lose a mother on top of that was more than anyone should have to bear, especially someone as young as Julie.

Years of dealing with high stress situations had trained me to compartmentalize everything but the issue at hand. My concern for Julie wouldn't be far from my mind, but my first priority right now was to get Stephanie and myself safely to Miami.

When we arrived at the airport, Stephanie pulled to a stop near the plane. The attendant came running out of the office, clipboard in hand. He flipped a switch near the door and the area in front of the hangar was illuminated to nearly daytime brightness.

"Mr. Manoso," he greeted as he rushed towards me.

"Hi Brad," I responded and reached for the checklist.

"I can help you with your pre-flight check, sir," he offered, clearly realizing that we were in a big hurry.

"Thanks. Babe, would you pull the car into the parking space inside, then go ahead and board the plane?"

"Yes. Is there anything else I can do?" Stephanie rubbed my back gently. I just shook my head, took a deep breath and savored the feeling of not having to face this crisis in my life alone.

**SPOV**

When Carlos shook his head 'no', I quickly made my way back to the Turbo. I parked it in the parking space and killed the engine. I thought for just a moment about the last time I was here and how different the circumstances were to this morning. _Dear God, please let Julie be alright! _

Carlos had slid his 'blank face' into place when we pulled into the airport. I know now that this was his way of getting through problems. He shuts himself down emotionally so that he can focus all his energy on what he needs to do. It's obviously a valuable skill left over from his military career. I couldn't be more thankful for it at a time like this. He would get us safely to Miami. Of that I had no doubt.

I grabbed our duffle bag from the trunk and made my way back outside to board the plane. The staircase was down, the lights on the plane were lit and the engine was humming. I raced up into the plane. I stored the duffle bag in the closet we'd used on our last flight, then went into the small galley to get some coffee brewing. We'd both been up nearly 18 hours at this point and were a long way from sleep.

The coffee had just finished brewing when I heard, "Babe?" called from the cockpit.

"I'll be right there!" I secured the lids on the cups and checked the fastening on the coffee pot before going to the front of the plane.

Carlos took the cups from my hands and placed them in holders that locked the cups in place, insuring they wouldn't become dislodged during take-off. I sat in my seat, fastened my seatbelt and put the headset over my head. Carlos' strong voice filled my ears as he called the tower for clearance. In a few short minutes, we were airborne.

The entire flight was silent. I'd usually feel the need to fill the air with useless chatter, but knew that wasn't what either of us needed right now. Besides, the silence was comforting. Our relationship was strong enough that words weren't always necessary.

About halfway through the trip, I went back to the galley and got us each a cereal bar. When I went to hand him the bar, he raised an eyebrow and shook his head. I gave him a glare that basically said 'No argument' and it worked! I stored that information in my memory bank for later. _Who knew when that might come in handy?_

When we were about thirty minutes from landing, Carlos handed me the phone and told me to call RangeMan to arrange a car for us at the airport.

I dialed the number and it was answered on the second ring. "RangeMan, this is Vasquez."

"Hi, this is Stephanie Plum. Ranger and I are about thirty minutes from landing at the airstrip in Miami. Could you have someone bring us a car?" I asked hesitantly.

I realized this was the first time I'd given orders to an employee of Carlos' company. How odd… I felt so unsure of myself. Sometimes I guess I forget how powerful the man who shares my bed really is. I still see the 'Ranger' I fell in love with at the diner; the mysteriously quiet man, who could do 'things' to me with just a look.

"Yes, Ms. Plum. Someone will be waiting for you there. Would you like me to call Michelle and have the house readied?"

"Um…, yeah, I guess that would be good. We won't be there for several hours, so there's no hurry." I knew that Carlos wouldn't want to leave the hospital until Julie was stable and comfortable.

"Babe, tell him to send a couple of guys down to the hospital to guard Julie's and Rachel's rooms."

I nodded my head and delivered the additional request to Vasquez. He said he'd arrange for it immediately and meet us at the airport in thirty minutes.

After a featherlike touchdown, we taxied to the hanger. Carlos pulled the plane to a stop in front of the door as the attendant ran from the office and placed props behind the wheels. Carlos rose from his seat and offered his hand to help me from mine. He continued to hold my hand all the way out of the plane, only letting go long enough to grab our duffle from the closet before resuming his hold of my hand as we disembarked the plane.

A black Hummer glided to a stop at the base of the stairs. A large, RangeMan-uniformed man exited the vehicle. He opened the back door and jumped inside. Carlos slid behind the wheel as I ran around the other side. Once I shut my door, we were off like a rocket.

We arrived at the hospital nearly twenty minutes later. Carlos stopped at the Emergency Room door and left the vehicle running. He and Vasquez silently communicating that Vasquez should park the truck. Carlos reached for my hand as he rounded the front of vehicle. We went to the desk and Carlos gave his name.

"Mr. Manoso, we're glad you're here. Your daughter just started coming out of sedation a few minutes ago. We told her you were on your way." The nurse greeted us and got up to lead us to Julie.

When we passed the waiting room, an older couple came towards Carlos, tearstains on their cheeks. Carlos stopped and turned in their direction.

"Charles. Natasha. I just got here. How is Rachel?"

I guessed that the woman had to be Rachel's mother, the resemblance was so strong. She reached for Carlos and he immediately wrapped her in an embrace as she began to sob.

The man stepped forward. "Carlos, it's been a while," he greeted as he held out his hand. Carlos shook it and the man added, "Rachel is still critical. We don't know much."

Carlos untangled the woman from his arms and looked at her while he spoke. "We're on our way to see Julie. She just woke up. As soon as I know her condition, I'll come back out and get you, okay?" She nodded her head as her husband stepped forward to put his arm around her waist.

The nurse led us back to a private room within the ER area; two RangeMan employees were already in place outside the door. They nodded at Carlos as we passed them on our way into the room.

The sight of Julie's battered face, along with all the machines and monitors surrounding her, had us pulling up short, but only for a moment. Carlos quickly recovered his composure and charged towards the bed, scooping up Julie's hand as he leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. When his lips brushed her skin, her eyes popped open and tears began to fall.

"Dad, I'm so scared. I've been all alone and no one will tell me anything," Julie said in a voice that broke my heart.

"Carina, you're not alone… We're here and we're not going anywhere."

**TBC**

2nd author's note: Thanks to JenRar, my fabulous Beta and my dear friend, GirlieGirl79, for her support.

I'd like to wish everyone a happy and health 2010! Please take time to review, it really means a lot to me, thanks!


	7. It's all about trust

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Disclaimer: Not mine, there hers and always will be…damn the luck!

Author's note: To best fit this story, Ron and Rachel do not have any children of their own.

As always, thanks to my Beta, JenRar. To GirlieGirl79, for her support and honesty. Special thanks to Batman's Bombshell, for her opinion on this chapter. Whew, Babe, you really helped…now we get to see if everyone agrees with us or not.

Chapter 7-It's all about trust

**RPOV**

I've had to face many hard sights in my life, seen things that most people couldn't stomach. Images of war and murder are hard to erase from your memory bank; they're etched there in stone. But all that aside, seeing someone you love hurting, especially your child… it tears at your soul. I'd gladly take her pain, absorb it into my body, just so she wouldn't have to suffer. Her physical injuries are hard to witness, but when she finds out about Ron then Rachel. I closed my eyes and prayed for strength. _Should I tell her or wait? _The matter was taken from my hands as the door to Julie's room opened and a nurse stepped through.

"Well, sweet girl, it seems you have company now." The nurse greeted Julie as she cast a glance at Stephanie and me.

"My dad and his fiancée, Steph," Julie replied weakly. "How are my mom and daddy? Can I see them, please?"

The nurse shot a look to me. I met her eyes and slowly shook my head in a negative fashion. She gave a small nod, then went over to check Julie's IV. Stephanie decided to cut through some of the tension and delay the bad news until a little later.

"Can you tell us about Julie's injuries?" Stephanie asked the nurse while she rubbed Julie's foot through the sheet.

"This young lady was fortunate to be wearing her seatbelt. Had she not, her injuries would have been a lot worse. She has a broken collar bone, seatbelt bruising and several abrasions and cuts from the flying glass. We're keeping her for observation tonight, but if all goes well, I'd expect her to be released sometime tomorrow." The nurse leaned down and smoothed some hair from Julie's face, checked that the oxygen was still in placed, then asked to speak to me outside the room.

I squeezed Julie's hand, told her I'd be right back and followed the nurse from the room, brushing a kiss on Stephanie's temple when I walked past. As I arrived at the door, I saw Stephanie settle herself down next to Julie on the bed. She began talking quietly to Julie; she'd keep her occupied until I returned. The distraction would do them both good.

The nurse asked me to follow her into the waiting room where Charles and Natasha were waiting. When we arrived, they bolted up from their seats, clearly expecting the worst. The nurse motioned for everyone to sit down and stay calm. She reiterated Julie's injuries to us again, stating simply at this time that there really was no need for further concern. She waited just a moment before she dropped the other bomb.

"Mrs. Martine's injuries are much more severe. I won't sugar coat it… it doesn't look good. She's in surgery now; they are trying to stop the internal hemorrhaging in her brain. It's a very delicate surgery. The odds of them locating the bleeder and closing it, well, it's hard to say. Sometimes they have to go in several times. It could be hours before we know anything. Aside from the trauma to her brain, she has extensive physical injuries; broken bones, and a punctured lung being among the long list of problems. If she survives the brain surgery, there'll be more surgeries to repair those injuries. Then there'll be months of physical therapy. It will be a long road."

The nurse paused, reached over and held Natasha's hand. "I'm so sorry. I promise we have a staff of wonderful, talented doctors here that will do everything in their power to help your daughter. I'll check on you later and give updates whenever the information is made available to me. I won't leave my shift until I've been back in to see you." She rose from the chair where she'd been sitting and quietly left the room.

We sat there in silence for a long time. My mind racing back to a couple of months after the Scrog incident, when Rachel and I had sat down and had a serious talk about Julie's future. I appreciated the sentiment she extended me at the time, because honestly, I'd given up all rights to Julie years ago when I allowed Ron to adopt her and give her his name. Sure, I still paid a generous child support payment to the Martines, but that was only to pacify the guilt I felt for letting go of my daughter. The money I made in my career hadn't brought me that much happiness. Most of it was banked away or invested in real estate.

So what, I had some fancy cars, nice clothes and houses all over the place, but until Stephanie, I was completely alone. If you can't enjoy what you have with someone, what's the point of having it?

That was the justification I used to ship a good chuck of money every month to the Martines, in hopes that it made their life a little easier and gave my daughter material things that she wouldn't have had otherwise.

I'd been so shallow. I'd wasted valuable time getting to know my daughter better. But, Rachel had thrown me a bone. After Scrog, she said that she wanted to change Julie's guardianship, should anything happen to her and Ron. It had previously been set that Charles and Natasha would take Julie in the event of their deaths.

Rachel had said her parents were getting older and didn't really want the responsibility of full-time custody of Julie. They'd be happy to help in any way, whenever they were needed, but since I'd taken a more active role in Julie's life, maybe I'd be better suited for the job.

At the time, I was honored. It was just me; Stephanie was still with Morelli and I didn't know if I'd ever get the chance with her that I wanted. Besides, I really never thought the situation would ever happen. I mean, what are the odds?

And yet, here we are, facing it head-on. This was a matter I'd never discussed with Stephanie. How would she feel about this? We'd said we wanted to wait to have children. Hell, I'd been the one to suggest it.

I know she loves Julie, but is she ready to be a full-time mother if something happens to Rachel? Julie's nearly thirteen; it'd be at least five years before she'd go off to college or whatever she decided to do. Was Stephanie ready for that? _Was I?_ Shit. It would change the whole dynamic of our relationship.

Would she think I was trying to make her into a housewife like Morelli always tired to? I wouldn't let that happen. We'd do this as a team, like we'd always done; I'd have an active part in the parenting. I wouldn't let the entire responsibility be dumped onto Stephanie like Morelli would have done. It would all work out for the best; we'd make it work, one way or the other. Who was I trying to convince? I'm terrified, for Rachel, for Julie and for mine and Stephanie's relationship.

Charles cleared his throat and swiped his hand across his face to rid it of any leftover tears. "How about we go see that granddaughter of ours?" he asked, trying to inflect some happiness into his voice, but failing miserably in the effort.

"No one has told her about Ron yet, or Rachel for that matter. Why don't you give me fifteen minutes to tell her, then come down to her room." I didn't want Charles and Natasha to be bombarded with questions from Julie. I also wanted to spare them the hardship of telling her. This was going to be one of the most difficult things I'd ever had to do… break my daughter's heart.

When I stepped into Julie's room, I found Stephanie murmuring to her as she pulled a brush through Julie's hair. It seemed that Stephanie had cleaned some of the dried blood from Julie's face and arms. Julie looked better, a little bit refreshed. Now I get to pull her back down. Fuck.

"Dad!" she greeted when she saw me standing in the doorway. "Do you have any news to tell me?"

"Yes, carina, I do." I took a deep breath then plowed through the whole story. I kept my voice low and steady, as if I was giving a report to a superior officer. It was the only way I knew to get through this as quickly and painlessly as possible.

When she started to sob, I faltered, but kept plugging on. She needed the whole truth from me now and I gave it to her. No evading, just the honest truth. It broke my heart. She was crushed.

Stephanie had her arms wrapped around Julie and I held them both within the circle of my arms. My whole world, right here, suffering, and nothing for me to do but hold them and wait.

Where was my patience? The inner calm I normally had? I just wanted to tear someone to pieces for hurting the people I love this way, like the driver of that fucking car! Too bad someone can only die once. I'd be more than happy to send him to the devil again for what he's done. I wanted to put my fist through the wall, just so I'd have a physical hurt that I could see and treat, instead of this emotional one that brewed below the surface, unseen, but even more painful.

**SPOV**

When Carlos left, I did everything in my power to comfort Julie. I spoke reassuringly to her, telling her everything was going to be alright, even though I didn't believe that myself. I hated myself for lying to her, but don't we all to that in times like these? We pat each other, say things are going to be okay, even as the world is falling down around us.

I noticed all the dried blood on her body, so I grabbed the pan next to the bed then went to the bathroom for a washcloth and warm water. Julie seemed to relax as I washed her body. When that was done, I grabbed a brush from my purse and worked my way gently through her long hair. I was just finishing as Carlos entered the room.

The look on his face tore at my heart. He hated what he had to say to her, but didn't avoid it. Just delivered it quickly then held us while Julie cried.

Charles and Natasha entered the room a short time later. Julie had pulled herself together for the most part. Every few minutes, a tear would stream down her face, but the gut-wrenching sobs had subsided. Carlos and I left the room to give Julie and her grandparents some privacy.

Carlos pulled me into a dark, vacant room at the end of a long corridor. His hands were fisted in my hair as he delivered a punishing kiss to my lips. I dug my fingers into his shirt and held tight. He slammed his body against mine, pinning me flat to the wall, his hard muscles grinding into me.

He was pissed. I knew it. Not at me, of course, but at the world; the world who'd hurt his little girl. He loved me, completely, and would never hurt me. This was just his way of letting go of the frustration he was feeling and he had no other way to get rid of the anger.

He'd never been like this with me before, this primal, but I wouldn't stop him, no matter what he did at this point. I trusted him above anything else. He needed this, and I was going to be there for him in whatever way possible.

Suddenly, he stepped back and took inventory of what he had been about to do. He dropped his hands from my body, shaking his head in disgust.

"I'm sorry, Babe. You don't deserve this from me. Jesus, I can't believe I nearly lost it with you in a fucking hospital room. What the hell is wrong with me?" He kept his face to the floor, not even meeting my eyes.

I reached out, placed my hands on his cheeks and tugged his face up to look at me. I could see the partially controlled rage fighting to get out behind his eyes.

"Carlos, I love you. I know you're hurting. If you need this to blow off some of your anger, then take it. I'm not going to protest, believe me. I want to help, and frankly, I could use the physical connection right now."

He stared at me for a long minute, then took a deep breath.

"Stephanie, I don't think I can be gentle. The grip on my control is slipping fast. If I was home, I'd take myself to the gym and let go. I don't want to hurt you. So if you're not up for this, you should leave the room now."

"No. I won't leave you alone. The gym's not going to be available to you for several hours, but I am. Just…let go," I said as I nipped at his jaw line.

His body tensed for a moment before he took charge. His muscles relaxed slightly as he reached for the button of my jeans. I followed his movement with my eyes as I ran my hands down his chest then up under his shirt. When I raked my nails across his nipples, he let out a groan. He yanked my jeans and panties down my lower limbs. They fell to the floor.

I made quick work of his pants, tugging them to thigh level before grabbing his erection and stroking roughly down his length. He jammed three fingers into me hard. I felt the warm rush of release instantly. I bit down on his shoulder, and knew that was going to leave a mark.

He lifted my leg and wrapped it around his waist. I clenched at his massive biceps, digging my nails into his flesh. He drilled me to the wall with his first powerful thrust; I could taste blood as I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from crying out.

He continued with this for several strokes, but in an instant, I was flipped and looking down at the floor. I had to put my weight on my tiptoes to remain standing.

This was a position of dominance and submissiveness. It occurred to me that this was the reason I'd always fought being taken like this by my previous lovers. I refused to allow them the control. It's a trust issue mainly, and probably why it has become one of my favorite positions with Carlos. Trust has never been a problem between us.

I reached out to brace my hands on the wall in front of me. Carlos entered hard and fast. I locked my elbows and forced myself back against him. He was not gentle. He brutally pounded away, one of his hands clamped onto my hip and the other secured above mine on the wall, preventing me from being driven forward.

The raw, unleashed power of him had me climaxing multiple times with no recovery period. I think he was blind to everything but freeing his personal demons at this point.

I just rode wave after wave of sensation, praying I'd be able to walk by the time he was done. I wasn't holding out much hope, though. Both of us were sweating profusely by now, each doing all we could to keep up the rapid rhythm.

"Babe, I'm close. Come with me," he ordered and my body jumped to attention, ready to fulfill his demand. He growled softly as his orgasm over took him. I whimpered and responded as I felt his cock pumping inside me.

"Fuck. I can't believe we just did that." Carlos breathlessly stated from the spot where he'd collapsed on my back. He placed a kiss where he rested, drawing ragged breaths in and out. "Anyone could have walked in and found us, for Christ's sake! I wasn't aware of our surroundings. I completely lost control. Shit, I'm sorry, Steph."

"Don't you dare apologize!" I said as I slid myself forward freeing my body from his still partially erect member. I turned to face him, quickly leaning against the wall in case my legs wouldn't hold my weight. They were noticeably trembling. Sure enough, they weren't up to the task, so I just slid down the wall to the floor.

Carlos tucked himself back into his jeans and pulled them into place, but left them unbuttoned as he dropped to a position next to me on the floor. I reached for his closest hand, entwined our fingers and continued talking.

"I can't believe we did this either, but I refuse to feel bad about it. Do you feel better? Because I know I do. We pushed the grief away for a few minutes, reaffirmed life. It's fine, Carlos. Don't worry." I soothed with my voice as I slowly rubbed the back of his hand with my thumb.

When he looked over at me, I was pleased to see his eyes were easier now; not filled with all the anger and pent-up rage I'd seen when we entered this room. Mission accomplished. Now all I needed to do was be able to walk on my own power.

We sat there quietly as our breathing returned to normal, Carlos staring at me, his face a varying display of emotions. The inner calm had returned and love for me was visible in the beautiful chocolate depths of his eyes. A small smile hinted at the corners of his lips. "You never disappoint, Babe."

Carlos reached over with his free hand to tuck one of my errant curls behind my ear. "Stephanie, there's something I need to discuss with you. I actually picked this room to give us some privacy to discuss the matter. I didn't plan what happened. It just sort of took over when we got in here." He gave me a bashful expression, which tickled me because it was so unlike 'Ranger'.

"Okay, what do we need to talk about? You didn't leave anything out when you told Julie, did you? You shouldn't keep stuff from her, it'll only hurt her more. Especially if someone says something, thinking she already knows."

"I agree. That's my plan. However, this matter needs to be discussed between us before we tell her. I hope that this scenario doesn't come to be, but you need to know. I would have told you sooner, I just never thought anything like this would happen."

"Carlos, what are you talking about?"

"Julie. In the event of Ron and Rachel's death, I'm granted full custody of Julie." Carlos looked into my face, searching for my reaction.

I didn't say anything. I just stared at him, unsure how I felt about this. It would be a big change for us. We'd just gotten used to living in each other's space comfortably, and now we might be adding another person to the equation?

"Stephanie, please say something."

"Umm, okay. I guess we'll deal with this one day at a time? I guess I'm sort of scared. It's really sudden."

"I know, Babe. I'm a little panicked myself. This wasn't part of my plan for the start of our life together. But, we'll make adjustments; make this work if it happens, alright?"

"We both love Julie, she's a great kid. It'll be fine. I knew she'd be spending time with us regularly, so that's not such a shock. I just wasn't prepared for a day-to-day thing."

"Me, either. I love you, Stephanie. Thanks for understanding. I didn't keep this from you on purpose. You know that, right?"

"Yep. No problem. Life happens. We're in this for better or worse. There are going to be bumps in the road. How we handle them is all that matters," I stated with heartfelt honesty.

This was the reason I was in a permanent relationship with this man. We discussed our problems rationally. He didn't go into a fit, waving his arms and yelling or throwing insults. He just laid the problem out and we dealt with it, simple as that.

Carlos enveloped me into an embrace and he rested his head on top of mine as he spoke into my hair. "Babe, I don't deserve you, but I'm never going to stop being thankful that you're here now, with me."

I tipped my head back to receive his kiss. He poured all the love he felt for me into the kiss. This man, who'd always used his actions to speak to me in the beginning of our relationship, was delivering a shouted exclamation. It'd always been his way; I'd just been too blind to see what he was saying without words.

When we finally separated, he stood and then reached down to pull me to my feet. I wobbled a bit. He steadied me and asked, "You going to be able to walk?" His voice was full of concern.

"Just give me a minute here."

Carlos squatted down, retrieved my jeans and panties, then helped me into them. Confident my legs were going to support my weight, I took a few tentative steps around the room. I was sore, but I'd live. All humor aside, the raw animal-like coupling had really blown my mind, and if a little soreness was the price that had to be paid… well, I was fine with that.

"I hurt you," Carlos said. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"I won't be forgetting you when I try to walk for the rest of the day," I joked, "but whenever you need to lose control like that again, you come find me, alright?" I gave him a crooked little smile that I hoped told him I meant every word. I received a barely perceptible nod from him as he wrapped his arm around my waist to lead me from the room.

As soon as we stepped into the hall, the nurse from earlier turned to us. "Mr. Manoso, I've been looking everywhere for you. We have an update on Mrs. Martine's condition."

**TBC**


	8. Life's Reflections

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Disclaimer: JE, you created them, you own them, but would you consider loaning them to me on a permanent basis? I'm only interested in Ranger, honestly. You can keep the rest. Think of all the money you'll save, healthy food is really expensive! Let me know, will ya?

Author's note: If I said thank you a million times, it wouldn't be enough. "Thank you, Jenny! You're a terrific beta."

Chapter 8-Life's reflections

**RPOV**

We made our way back to Julie's room, where we finally received some good news. Rachel had survived the brain surgery and the doctors were pretty confident that they'd shut down all the bleeding. The next twenty-four hours would be critical. If no further bleeding occurred, then tomorrow they would go back into surgery to repair the broken bones.

Rachel had not regained consciousness, and in fact, had been put into a drug induced coma to prevent her from waking. Her pain would be tremendous, not to mention the emotional stress of finding out that her husband was dead. The medical personnel assured everyone that right now, this was for the best.

Charles and Natasha were given a private room within the hospital to rest so they'd be close at hand should Rachel have any further complications through the night.

Stephanie and I decided to camp out in Julie's room. There was a single sleep chair next to the bed. That was all we'd need.

When the room was quiet and Julie had fallen to sleep, I settled myself into the chair, then pulled Stephanie down on top of me. She settled herself on my left side, draping most of her body across mine. We were both exhausted.

She brushed a gentle kiss to the side of neck before she dropped off into slumber. I willed my mind to shut down so that I could get some rest as well. It took about thirty minutes, but I finally fell asleep.

I awoke four hours later when the nurse entered the room to check on Julie. She worked quietly, and after a few minutes, seemed satisfied that Julie was fine. She gave me a small smile and exited the room.

Stephanie was still deep in sleep, as was Julie, but my rest was done. Years of training allowed me to function with a lot less sleep than the females in my life. Julie loved to sleep almost as much as Stephanie; it boggled my mind how they could just lay around while the world marched on.

I eased out from under Stephanie. Once I was free, I got up and began pacing the room. Thoughts and plans of what needed to be done raced through my head. Stepping to the bedside table, I found a pen and paper and began forming a list of everything that needed to happen in the next couple of days.

Looking at the list a short time later, I felt better. There was direction here that I could follow. Now all I had to do was begin checking things off the list. My cell phone vibrated. I checked the readout to find Tank's name listed. I walked over to the bathroom and shut the door before answering.

"Yo."

"It's me. Just wanted to let you know… the RangeMan jet returned to Trenton last night to pick up your parents and bring them to Miami. Your brother's idea. He flew up here to get them."

"That's fine. They can stay at the beach house with us. It'll do Julie good to have them around."

"How is Jules?" Tank asked, clearly concerned.

"I think physically she's going to recover easily. Not sure about her emotional well-being. She's pretty torn up about Ron."

"Have arrangements been made yet?"

"That's one of the things on the list I need to deal with today."

We spent the next couple minutes going over the business items on my list; a few loose ends that I needed to tie up with Tank since our departure was so sudden last night. Tank said he'd call later at the house to speak with Julie. I was sure she'd be happy to hear from her 'Uncle Tank.'

Walking back into the room, I found both of the girls still sound asleep. No surprise there. I jotted a quick note to Stephanie that I'd stepped out for a drink and to stretch my legs, asking her to call my cell when she woke up. When I stepped into the hallway, I greeted the two RangeMan guards. We visited for a few minutes before I left to go to find some coffee.

The cafeteria was fairly deserted; only a few bleary-eyed doctors sitting around nursing cups of coffee in front of them. A few fresh-looking nurses grabbed breakfast items before starting their shifts. I noticed Charles sitting towards the back of the room near a window. I purchased us each a cup of coffee and made my way to him.

The strain of stress and exhaustion was visible on his face. His hands were clenched tight in his lap.

"Mind if I join you?" I inquired, understanding if he'd simply wanted to be left alone.

"Carlos. No, please, sit down."

"Rachel?"

"The same, which is good. Every hour that passes, her odds increase."

I nodded my head in agreement. We settled into a long silence, each quietly sipping our coffee. I decided to bring up the subject of Ron.

"Have you heard if any arrangements have been made for Ron?"

A tear slipped out of the corner of his eye. He quickly reached up and wiped it away before nodding his head. "Yes. His parents called late last night. They're in shock, we all are, but they said Ron had wanted to be cremated, so that's what is being done. Honestly, it's probably for the best. A memorial service can be held later when Rachel can attend."

The silence surrounded us again. After a while we shared a little small talk. It had been a long time since I'd seen or visited with Rachel's dad. Charles had been kind to me through the years; I don't know that I'd have acted similarly if our positions were reversed.

I'd gotten his daughter pregnant on a one night stand, married her and then left for parts unknown. I'd returned only long enough to see the baby and file for divorce.

During my early years with the Rangers, I'd been a cocky, arrogant SOB, who didn't deserve the kindness that Charles showed me. I was even more grateful for that kindness now; this would have been much more difficult if hard feelings and harsh words were still between us.

Rachel and her family were good people. I'd say I was sorry for what I did to her, but then that'd be admitting that Julie was a mistake, and I wasn't about to go there.

We made our way back upstairs, each going to separate floors. I slowly pushed the door open to Julie's room and found that both of my girls were awake and watching TV. Julie was pushing her breakfast around on her plate, most of it left untouched. I handed Stephanie the cheese danish and cup of coffee I'd picked up for her before leaving the cafeteria.

"Good Morning, carina. Aren't you hungry?" I asked, while motioning my head in the direction of her plate.

She shook her head, not responding verbally. I walked over to the bed and leaned down to brush my lips to her forehead. As soon as my body was above hers, she reached out, grabbed my shirt and pulled me close to her.

I supported my weight on my forearms on either side of her in the bed. She just laid her head against mine. I felt moisture on my face as her tears fell. I steadied myself on one arm, and with the other I dabbed at her tears with the corner of the bed sheet.

"Its okay, carina," I soothed. "Just let it out. Don't hold the hurt inside."

The sobbing began in earnest then. I steeled myself against the pain of watching her suffer. This was day one of the long journey of healing for my little girl. Stephanie had taken a place on the opposite side of bed, rubbing her hand up and down Julie's arm in a loving gesture.

"Good news," the nurse announced as she breezed into the room. She stopped when she took in the scene before her, "Oh, dear, is she in pain? I was coming to tell you the doctor just ordered your release papers. You should be cleared to leave in the next couple hours."

"I don't have much pain. I'm just sad," Julie responded quietly to the nurse.

The nurse checked the chart in her hand. "You are due for pain medicine. If you eat a little more of your breakfast, I'll go get it for you. It might help take the edge off, okay?"

Julie nodded, then picked up fork in an attempt to make some progress on her plate. My eyes caught the nurse's; she looked to the door then back at me. I got the message. She walked out and I waited a few seconds before saying I'd be back, then I left the room.

When I arrived in the hall, she was standing in front of a portable computer, entering information. I stood there for a moment while she finished her entry.

"Mr. Manoso, your daughter's injuries will heal quickly; however, the emotional trauma will take longer. You might want to consider counseling for her. In fact, a list of recommended child psychologists will accompany her discharge papers. Please consider them."

"I'll discuss it with her mother, but I agree that a counselor is a good idea. Thanks."

She gave me a small smile and returned to her work. I retrieved my cell phone from my pocket and made the necessary arrangements to bring Julie back to the beach house.

Julie was loaded into a wheelchair a couple hours later. When she was being rolled from her room, she asked if she could see her mother. Shit. _What to do?_ I looked to Stephanie, and she shrugged her shoulders, clearly as undecided as I was. Then I looked to the nurse, and she nodded her head. I figured she had more experience than I did with this matter, so I deferred to her for guidance.

We arrived on the ICU floor a short time later. Stephanie waited in the hall as I pushed Julie in to see Rachel. There were machines and monitors everywhere. Her head was completely encompassed in white gauze; she had two black eyes and cuts all over. I heard Julie's sharp intake of breath when she noticed how bad Rachel looked.

"Mom?"

"Carina, she can hear you, she just can't talk back. Do you want me to leave you alone for a few minutes so you can speak to her?"

Julie nodded her head and I left the room quietly. I'd only agreed to leave because I could watch from outside the room through the large glass windows. If there was a problem, I could be by Julie's side in an instant. Stephanie and I stood shoulder to shoulder outside the room, looking in on the scene through the glass.

"This will help," Stephanie spoke up after a few minutes. "I remember how worried and terrified I was when Tank told me you'd been hurt. The plane ride and trip to Bethesda were excruciating, but once I saw you, was able to touch you, I felt better."

"I think I sensed when you arrived at my bedside. I felt the pull. I was desperate to come back to you. I remember flashes, bits and pieces, of you talking to me."

Stephanie laughed softly. "I never shut up. I kept talking, hoping you finally get tired of it and wake up long enough to tell me to be quiet!"

"Hardly, Babe. I was happy to hear your voice, even if I don't remember exactly what you said."

Our hands clasped together, we continued watching. At the fifteen minute mark, I went back into the room to collect Julie. Her cheeks were tearstained, but she did seem calmer. I promised we'd be back tomorrow for another visit.

**SPOV**

Julie was quiet during our trip to the beach house. She was sporting a figure-eight style sling that kept her shoulders back and relieved the pressure on her broken collarbone.

We learned during the discharge process that this injury was very common. Her excepted recovery time was six to eight weeks, so by Christmas, she'd be pretty much back to normal. _What was normal? What would Christmas bring for all of us?_ I was still lost in thought when Carlos pulled the truck to a stop in the driveway.

"Babe?"

"Hmm, sorry… daydreaming."

He leaned over and pulled me towards him for a kiss, "There's a lot to think about, that's for sure." He deepened the kiss and I reveled in the feeling of his lips. This man could make me lose all clear thought. It was incredible what he did to me.

We quickly jumped apart when there was a knock on the driver's side window. Both of our eyes shot over to see who it was. I noticed Carlos' hand had made its way to his gun. I hadn't even been able to track the movement, it was so fast. We found Maria and Ricardo Manoso looking in on us. _What in the world were they doing here?_

"Ah, I might have forgotten to tell you my parents were on their way down?" Carlos cocked his eyebrow up in question.

"Ya think? Thanks for the warning!"

"No problem, Babe." He chuckled as he moved to open the door.

Maria had already pulled the back door open to find Julie. She quickly wrapped her granddaughter into an embrace, tears falling from both of them. Ricardo came around to my side to assist me from the truck.

"Hola, Stephanie. It's good to see you again."

I smiled warmly up at the man to whom Carlos bore such a striking resemblance. He returned my smile and bent to kiss my check as I hugged him. Carlos and Maria helped Julie into the house, Ricardo carried our duffle bag and supplies from the hospital and I brought up the rear.

Once Julie was given her meds and settled into bed asleep, we all went to the kitchen for lunch. Michelle had arrived earlier, and she had sandwiches and a large salad already prepared and waiting for us in the refrigerator.

Maria and I got the food out while the men set the table. The process was quick and lunch was enjoyable as we visited with Carlos' parents. We talked of everything that had happened; plans for Julie and of Ron's memorial, which was to be held at a later date, were discussed.

Ricardo and Maria said they only planned to stay until Rachel was out of danger. They'd wanted to see Julie and just be here if they were needed. Carlos seemed relieved to have them here, so I relaxed as well. It was going to be awkward sharing a house with them, but this place was huge, so it'd be fine. We'd all have our privacy.

After lunch, we sat by the pool with Julie, walked down to the beach and kept in regular contact with the hospital to check on Rachel's condition. She was holding her own. More surgery to repair the broken bones was scheduled for first thing in the morning. We planned to take Julie back to the hospital when Rachel was out of surgery and in recovery.

Everyone decided to call it an early evening. The stresses of the past day and a half had left us all exhausted. Carlos was already comfy in bed when I emerged from the bathroom, wearing one of his t-shirts as a nightgown.

His eyebrow cocked in question at my wardrobe choice and I started back in disbelief. I knew that look on his face. He couldn't be serious… his parents where just below us in their bedroom.

"Oh no, Batman, that's not happening tonight."

"Babe, why not?"

"Your parents are directly below us, that's why!"

"You think they just went to bed without sex?"

"Ewww, Carlos! How can you even think about that?! They're your parents!" I frantically paced next to the bed, arms flying around. Carlos sat up in bed; the sheet fell from his bare chest to pool at his obviously naked waist. I stopped abruptly, discreetly checked for drool and stared back at him. A smile broke out across his face.

"How do you think they had all us kids? The stork didn't deliver us to the door, Steph. They've had sex. They've had lots of sex, truth be told."

I shook my head vigorously, trying to clear the image of Carlos' parents in bed. I blew out an exasperated sigh as I climbed in next to him on the bed. He immediately pulled me into his arms and removed his shirt from my body. I was lying flat on my back with a warm, gorgeously naked Carlos hovering above me. He kissed the tip of my nose as I snaked my arms around his neck.

"Babe, my parents are in love, have been in love for many years. Why wouldn't they celebrate that? Why shouldn't we? Do you think it's different or means less to them now than it did when they were just beginning like us?"

That statement stopped me. He was right. Wouldn't I be just as attracted to Carlos later in life as I was at this moment, if not even more so? I mean, my attraction for him had grown steadily over the years, and some of that time, I'd been with Joe. Even that hadn't stopped it from happening.

My parents had never openly expressed their love in front of Valerie and me. They always seemed more like roommates who were very comfortable with each other. Was that the sort of relationship I wanted with my husband? The answer was a resounding NO!

"Okay," I said "I understand what you're saying and I agree, but do you think we can at least be quiet?"

Carlos laughed softly at me. "Babe, you're the noisy one in this relationship."

**TBC**

_So what do you think? I'd love to hear your opinions. Please drop me a review or PM, thanks, and have a great week…see ya next Tuesday._


	9. Shakedown

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Disclaimer: JE owns them, I only wish I did.

Author's note: First and far most, thanks to JenRar for her terrific beta skills. Thanks also to Cara for her input on this chapter; the take-down humor was thought up during one of our many phone conversations.

Chapter 9-Shakedown

**RPOV**

The alarm on my watch began beeping, and I quickly shut it off. Not quick enough, though apparently, since it woke both myself and my 'not such a morning person' fiancée. She immediately started protesting.

"No…please, no running. Just want to sleep… Please, I'll do anything." The words were mumbled, and probably not distinguishable to most people, but I'd gotten good at translating Stephanie's morning talk.

This was too good to pass up. She left herself wide open. "Oh, Babe, you shouldn't say things like that. I get ideas. Lots of ideas… And you're already in for the handcuffs." I ran my fingertip lightly down the side of her body, delighting in the goose bumps that instantly popped to the surface. "Don't think I've forgotten, Steph," I breathed into her ear in a husky whisper.

"Mmmmm, uh huh."

Clearly she wasn't paying too much attention, and if I didn't say what I needed to say soon, she'd be back asleep.

"Babe, you're off the hook this morning. I'm going running with my dad and brother, so you get a break."

"Yippee," she said with no inflection, rolling to her side and grabbing my pillow. She hugged the pillow tight against her chest, sighed softly, snuggled down a bit more, then drifted back to sleep.

Damn, that was a golden opportunity wasted with no deal. Oh well, there'd be more. Stephanie really hated to run and was willing to do just about anything to avoid it.

I arrived downstairs five minutes later to find my dad and brother leaning against the kitchen counter, each with a bottle of water in their hands.

_(Please assume this conversation is in Spanish. Because honestly, I just think it would be. *smile*)_

"Have trouble pulling yourself from bed this morning, little brother?"

The look I gave Raphael told him I was not discussing my sex life with him.

"Oh, come on, son. You've seen Stephanie, right? Of course he had trouble pulling himself away from his sweetheart."

"Thanks, Papa… Just supply him with more ammunition. So are we just going to stand around here all morning or are we going to hit the beach? I think ten miles sounds about right. I'm feeling really energized this morning!" I cocked my eyebrow at my brother and was rewarded with a groan. I gave a little chuckle, grabbed a bottle of water, and then headed for the door.

My father laughed full out and said, "Me, too, son. Me, too. Your mother and I just love staying here at your beach house. It reminds us of our honeymoon."

Another groan from Raphael. "Papa, I don't want to hear about this!"

Now I was the one laughing. Raphael's shocked expression mirrored Stephanie's from last night. Priceless.

"Come on, I'd like to get back soon so I can go wake Stephanie up again," I teased as I ran out the door to avoid the bottle of water that was sailing towards my head.

When we got back from our run, we found the ladies were already up and moving. Too bad. I was hoping to convince Stephanie to shower with me. Mama was just finishing fixing breakfast while Stephanie and Julie sat the table. By the time we changed out of our running clothes and grabbed a quick shower, breakfast was ready.

The day passed slowly for everyone, especially Julie. Eventually, I decided to just take her to the hospital to wait for Rachel to get out of surgery.

After about two hours in the waiting room, we were informed that the surgery was a success and that we could go see Rachel. Charles and Natasha said they'd take Julie back. Stephanie and I stayed where we were. When Julie came back about forty-five minutes later, she looked a little more at ease, but noticeably tired. We weren't halfway home before she was sound asleep.

The next few days fell into a pattern. I'd take Julie to school, then go to RangeMan. Stephanie started around nine at the office, then left at two to go get Julie from school and take her to the hospital. They'd stay for about an hour. We'd all meet home by five. Papa and Mama would have dinner underway when we arrived.

Julie had woken with nightmares several nights over this time period. I decided to make her an appointment with a psychologist. The therapist was helping, and encouraged us to try and keep Julie's life as 'normal' as possible. So, when Julie asked to spend the night at a friend's house on Saturday, I hesitated at first, but I'd finally agreed. Stephanie said that a sleepover was probably a normal occurrence for Julie and had encouraged me to let her attend.

Rachel had regained consciousness on the following Tuesday. When we got the call, Stephanie and I immediately left the office and went to go get Julie from school. We wasted no time getting to the hospital.

They'd waited to tell Rachel about Ron until after she'd spent some time with Julie. When she got the news, she'd had to be sedated again to keep her calm. By Friday, Rachel was doing better emotionally. I decided to go visit her on my own to talk about Julie and what the psychologist had recommended for her recovery.

"Hey, care for company?" I asked as I stuck my head in the door.

"Sure, Carlos, come in." Rachel gave me a half-hearted smile. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she was making an effort to seem cheerful.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little better everyday. I miss Ron so much, though. I keep waiting for the door to open and for him to walk in."

I nodded my head in sympathy. I couldn't imagine what she was going through. The thought of losing Stephanie and having to spend the rest of my life without her sent a chill to my heart. We settled into silence for a long time, neither really knowing what to say. Even though we'd been married, we'd spent very little time together alone. She finally broke the silence.

"Do you think you can stay in Miami until I get out of rehab? They're saying it could be anywhere from three to six months. Maybe stay even longer, if Julie needs you?"

"I'll have to talk to Stephanie. I think we can work something out. I won't agree until I speak with her, but I can't see her saying no. She knows how important it is to keep Julie's life as close to normal as possible. We wouldn't want to risk a setback because we left too soon."

"Thanks, Carlos. I really appreciate this. I know you've probably had to shift your business around to stay down here."

"Rachel, don't worry. It hasn't been that big of deal, and we've enjoyed having Julie. We just want you to get better. It doesn't matter how long it takes."

For the next few minutes, we discussed some of the concerns and suggestions Julie's therapist had. I noticed that Rachel seemed to be getting tired, so I said I should probably be getting back to the office. I pressed a kiss to her cheek before I left the room.

I went straight to my office when I got back to RangeMan. The file for a high bond FTA was lying right on top of my desk. Just as I started to pick it up, Raphael walked through my door.

(_Spanish again, *grin*)_

"Oh good, you found it," he said as he flopped down on one of my guest chairs.

"Hernando Cortez. Shit, this one's about to expire and it's one hundred thousand."

"Yeah, this guy's a real winner. Sleaze bag of the first degree. Loves the women; that's how we finally got a tip on him. He got a little rough with a 'lady' a couple nights ago, and she rolled. Told us she had another date with him tomorrow night. She's supposed to meet him down at a dive on Third Street, but she's not going to show. That place is busy on a Saturday night, and the crowd ain't of the friendly variety. Hernando runs with a pack of no less the six thugs. Things could get ugly if we go in there with a bunch of our guys. Got any ideas?"

The possibility of using Stephanie for this job immediately came to mind. According to the girl that rolled, Izzy, he always took his date to a private pay-by-the-hour room in the back of this bar. If Stephanie could lure him to the room, we could be waiting for him in the hallway and walk him quietly out the door with no one the wiser.

"I think this is a job for Steph," I said, and had to smile at the look of surprise on Raphael's face.

"Stephanie? Your fiancée? You did hear me say this place is an unfriendly dive, right?"

"You've never seen her in action; it's a sight to behold."

I picked up the phone and rang her desk. She answered on the first ring. "Yo."

"Yo, Babe. Can you come to my office for a minute?"

"Sure thing, Boss. Be right there."

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. Damn, that woman was wearing off on me.

Stephanie came into my office and I motioned over her to sit on my lap. As soon as she was settled, I handed her the file while I played with one of her curls. She read through the file and said, "I can have him out of there in fifteen minutes flat."

Raphael whistled through his teeth. "Stephanie, I don't think that's a good idea. This guy is dangerous."

She looked at me. "I'd be wired, right? Same deal as I use in Trenton?"

I nodded my head. I'd always taken every precaution I could when I sent her on a job like this. Now that she was solidly in my life, I'd take even more. I planned on using two of everything just to make sure she was safe.

We set up the plan, decided on how many guys we were going to take, and set the time. Raphael was going to have one of the guys rent the room tonight, just so we'd know the exact semantics of the back of the bar. Raphael still had his doubts about whether this was a good idea or not, but I had faith in Stephanie and I knew she could do it. I wouldn't be more than ten feet away from her at anytime during the evening, I'd see to that.

**SPOV**

Saturday morning arrived bright and sunny. Carlos had made me really 'happy' just as the sun was rising from the ocean outside our bedroom window. My body was still humming when he'd bounded out of bed to go run with his dad. I'd done a mental happy dance because I didn't have to join them, before I rolled over and went back to sleep.

I awoke for the second time about two hours later, alone. Dang! So I just lay there and thought about the day and night ahead of me. Tonight, the ban on 'loud' sex was going to be lifted. Carlos' parents were returning to Trenton early this afternoon, and Julie was staying at Rachel's parents until tomorrow evening. Of course, the take-down was around ten pm, but I didn't expect that to take more than an hour, tops. The sooner I lured that skip into the guys' waiting handcuffs, the sooner I'd have Carlos all to myself. That was a powerful motivator. This was going to be my quickest distraction job ever!

We all had lunch at a nice, local, beachside restaurant before Ricardo and Maria had to leave. Carlos took them to the airstrip afterward, while Julie and I hit the mall.

Sure, I had a closet full of clothes at the beach house, courtesy of Carlos, but they were entirely too nice for a bar like the place where the take-down was set to go down. I needed more of a slutty, trashy look to pull this off, to convince the skip that I was the sort of girl that would be interested in backroom/rent-by-the-hour activities. _Well, maybe with the right guy, like tall, dark and Cuban….no, no, no, Stephanie! Snap out of it! _What had Carlos turned me into? I've got all the makings of a first-class nympho! Geez!

Since Julie was along, I had to be discreet regarding my purchases. We were in a teeny-bopper store that Julie adored. Girls clothes are much more 'mature' today then when I was her age. I vetoed several of her 'would be' purchases on the grounds that Carlos would have a coronary if he saw her in them. I needed to keep that man's heart in fine working order, thank you very much!

I did find a barely there black dress that was several sizes too small for me, which I thought would just fit the bill for the skip. Not to mention for 'playtime' later with Carlos. I don't think this outfit on me was going to effect his heart as much as other organs of his body so I thought it would perfect for this evening all the way around.

No undergarments were going to be capable of sharing room with my body in the dress. Sorry, Victoria's Secret, maybe another time. Tonight it was going to be all natural. I didn't think the skip would pay much attention to my shoes, so I planned to wear a pair that was in the closet at the house. I'd been drooling over them for awhile, wondering when I'd have the opportunity to put them into action.

Julie made a few purchases for herself. We also picked out a couple of nice lounge suits and pajamas for Rachel. We thought wearing something other than the hospital-issued stuff would make her feel better, less exposed and more feminine. The added benefit of putting a smile on Julie's face hadn't hurt anything either.

I paid with all our purchases with the black AMEX card that was given to me before we left the restaurant. When I started to protest, Carlos pulled me into a kiss that short circuited a few of my wires, then he promised me more of the same later if I'd just take the card without anymore complaints. I'd let the matter drop, vowing to myself to bring it up later in private. We'd have to negotiate some sort of deal regarding money, and soon.

Later in the day, I dropped Julie off at Charles and Natasha's, then headed back to the beach house. When I arrived, the place was blissfully silent. I raced upstairs and threw on my swimsuit. A nap by the pool sounded perfect right about now.

The sun was setting some, but it was still warm enough to enjoy the remaining rays from my lounge chair. I got settled and was asleep in no time. About an hour later, I was jolted awake by the Batman theme on my cell phone.

"..Yo..?" I mumbled, sitting up slowly and rubbing the sleep from eyes.

"Babe, were you sleeping?"

"Mmm, yeah, by the pool."

"Sorry I'm missing that. I stopped by the office to pick up some gear and the wire. I'll be home in about an hour. I'm bringing dinner with me. Pizza okay?"

"Is there ever a time when pizza isn't okay?"

"For you? No, I guess not. Love ya, Babe."

The click sounded in my ear. I pulled the phone away from my head and stared at it. Will that man ever say good-bye at the end of a conversation?

I made my way upstairs to take a shower and start the endless process of grooming myself for this job. When I'd shaved, washed, exfoliated and conditioned every part of my body to within an inch of my life, I emerged from the bathroom. I donned a short, black, silk robe and padded downstairs. I found Carlos in his office going over some paperwork while he talked quietly on the phone.

His eyes caught mine as I walked into the room. One sexy eyebrow lifted when he took in the state of my dress. _Does he have radar that senses when I'm not wearing underwear?_ I gave him a flirty smile and a finger wave before turning on my heel to go find the pizza.

I leaned against the counter with a paper towel and a large piece of loaded pizza. My Pepsi sat within arm's reach next to me. Carlos walked in and grabbed a single piece of veggie pizza and a bottle of water. He took a position at my side.

"Sexy outfit, Babe. You're pulling out all the stops for this job."

"Well, I had something else in mind, but if you think this will get us home faster… I'll go grab my shoes and we can go."

"I don't think you'd make it to the skip. Not sure if you'd even make it out of this house."

Carlos reached for me, but I quickly jumped back. "Not so fast, Batman. Work first, play later."

"Babe!"

I laughed and rushed upstairs to shove myself into the dress and goop on the make-up. An involuntary sigh escaped my lips as my feet slid into the fabulous FMPs. These shoes were so hot! I loved them. I checked myself out in the full-length mirror. Yep. I looked like a trashy slut. Perfect.

When I arrived back downstairs, Carlos' eyes darkened and widened slightly as I stood in front of him.

"Nice shoes," he said as he looked down at my feet.

"See, I thought it would be the dress you'd like best."

"Not much to like, Babe. Its awful small."

"True, although that's partly why I thought you'd like it," I said, winking. "I'm not sure I can take a deep breath, though. The seams are liable to burst, and then things will get really interesting."

"As long as we're alone if that happens, I'm okay with it."

"You would be," I said with an exaggerated eye roll.

Carlos stepped forward and eyed the front of my dress. He looked down between my breasts. Lightly, he ran his finger along the edge of the neckline, and then dipped into my cleavage.

"Aren't we in a hurry?" I questioned as his gaze settled on my breast and his breath quickened. "Carlos?" I said a little louder. He blinked and came out of his trance.

"Tryin' to find a place for the wire, Babe," was the explanation I received.

Carlos reached into the dress and lifted my right breast just a bit. My nipple sprang forth from its restraint. He settled his mouth on it and pressed the mic, complete with adhesive, to the underside of my breast. I tipped my head back and let out a moan of pleasure. My body nuzzled itself against the hard body in front of me. And then, just as I was revving up for some fun, he released my nipple with an audible 'pop'. I whimpered. Carlos rubbed the pebble-like tip before tucking it back into my dress.

"Later, Babe," he whispered in his sexy voice.

I stomped my foot in frustration, which earned me a soft chuckle from Carlos. He ushered me out to a RangeMan SUV he'd brought home from the office. Within thirty minutes, we were outside the bar on Third Street.

We looked at the nearly full parking lot. Carlos picked up my purse. He opened the glove box and withdrew a pen, then dropped it into the outside pocket of my bag.

"Insurance," was the answer I received when I quirked my eyebrows. Ah, a tracker no doubt. Oh well, I gave up worrying about his over-protectiveness a long time ago.

All mics were checked, and then it was go time. I got out of the SUV, and as I walked to the door, I heard, "Go get 'em Tiger," in Carlos' unmistakable deep timbre. He had placed a very small receiver in my ear before the mic checks were done. With my hair down, it was completely hidden from view.

Once I got into the bar, I stopped to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. When I could see, I quickly scanned the room for the skip. He was sitting at a large table next to the bar with a group of people; six guys and three girls. I checked my cell phone for the time, and in a quiet voice I said, "10:07."

_Ok, Stephanie, make this snappy. Make this believable. Channel the sex kitten. Think of Carlos. You can do this!_ Mental pep talk done. Now, let's get this show on the road.

With a sway in my hips and my eyes locked on the skip, I marched straight over to him not slowing until I was very much in his 'personal space'.

"Hey, doll," Hernando said as he eyed me with a hungry look that had my inner defense mechanism screaming, '_Run, run, run!'_

"Hiya, Sexy. My girlfriend, Izzy, wasn't able to make it tonight. She got into some bad shit last night, but she told me all about you." I looked straight into his menacing eyes, then with just a fingertip, I traced an imaginary line down his arm. Leaning forward, I pressed my breasts into his arm as I straddled his leg and bent forward to whisper in his ear. "Izzy told me you really know how to show a girl a good time. I got myself all hot and bothered as I drove over here. Now that I've seen you, I can hardly control myself. Can we go somewhere more private?"

I eased down onto his lap. When he felt my warmness, thanks to the image of Carlos I had firmly planted in my mind, Hernando made a guttural sound. In my ear, I heard Raphael whisper, "Damn, little brother! Is this the way she works all her jobs?"

"This is the most aggressive she's been since the group sex night," Carlos answered in an equally quiet tone.

My eyes swept the area behind the skip. I locked eyes with a smiling Carlos. I shot him my best death-glare. He had the nerve to start laughing at me! _Arrgghhh, just he wait until I finish with this Hernando creep. Batman was going to get it!!_

Raphael barked, "Group sex night?!"

I tried, unsuccessfully, not to wince as the sound radiated in my ear. Thank God there was loud music playing. I covered my slight movement with a quick little dance move.

"Ask Tank," volunteered the ever-helpful Carlos. Apparently the death glare hadn't worked. "Santos and Brown were in on it, too," he added. _When did 'Ranger' turn into Chatty Cathy?!_

I danced a little more in my position against Hernando, like I was really getting into this terrible music and excited to get to that backroom. What I really wanted was to get my hands around Carlos' neck! He was so not helping me here.

"Tank! Tank's in on this, too?! And Brown. And Santos. Like a four-way? Shit, I need a transfer to Trenton immediately. I've been missing all the good stuff," Raphael muttered.

I had to get back to the matter at hand and didn't listen to what else he had to say, because Hernando had risen from his chair and clasped my hand, tugging me to the back of the bar. Obviously my wiggling had done the trick and he was suddenly in a hurry, too. Fine with me… the sooner I got out of this place the better!

"They're moving. Assume positions and hold," I heard one of the Rangemen say in an authoritative voice.

Hernando and I rounded the corner, heading down a long hallway to 'the room,' when our path was suddenly blocked by a huge, muscle-bound RangeMan employee. This guy was massive! Like bigger than Tank, massive. Heck, I was scared, and _I_ knew he was a good guy. I jumped away from Hernando with a squeak. Hernando reached for the gun shoved into the back waistband of his jeans, but was immediately relieved of it by another Rangeman. Hernando was slammed against the wall and cuffed with minimal fuss.

"Hey…ah…I'm not into this rough, group sex stuff," I stammered as some of the guys tried to hide smiles.

Raphael snuck up behind me and whispered into my ear. "That's not what I heard."

"Wouldn't you like to know for sure! And by the way, I think Ram was there, too, so it was more like a six-way." Raphael's mouth fell open, and I could see the wheels beginning to turn in his mind as he tried to visualize this. I smiled smugly, then turned on the heel of my kickin' FMPs to make a grand exit, and ran smack into Carlos.

Carlos steadied me by grabbing my upper arms. When I looked up into his face, his eyes were bright and dancing with amusement. On the inside, he was probably rolling around on the floor laughing his ass off. _Just wait, Batman!_ I gave him my best 'you're in trouble big boy' look before I made my way back down the hall where another Rangeman escorted me out to the SUV. Once inside the truck, I removed the receiver from my ear and discreetly reached into my dress to remove the mic. I placed both items inside the glove box.

When Hernando was secured into another RangeMan vehicle and was being transported downtown for return to the system, the crew from the take-down gathered around my SUV.

Carlos pulled my door open and gave me a hand out of the truck. "Nice work, Babe. That's a record… nine minutes flat and no casualties."

"Gee, I'm even rusty. It's been a while since I've done a distraction."

Raphael draped a companionable arm around my shoulders. "Okay, soon-to-be little sis, what's this about group sex? I'm very interested!"

Not even trying to stop myself, I hauled off and slugged him in the arm. "I'm not that type of girl! And your brother will pay for that little comment. I can't believe you two had that conversation during a job, with everyone listening!" I narrowed my eyes at Raphael, and then at Carlos.

"Aww, little brother, you're in trouble!" Raphael joked.

"Nothing I can't handle, bro," Carlos stated confidently.

A silence fell over the RangeMan crew as they watched the interchange between the two brothers. Of course, before I was even aware, my mouth jumped ahead of my brain and joined the fray.

"Ya think so, huh?" I taunted, having no idea why I was openly challenging Carlos in front of his employees. The only person that was going to get themselves in trouble here was me! Carlos could play hard-ball, and let's face it… I'm way out of my league against him.

Carlos responded to my little quip with a raised eyebrow and dark look that nearly had me messing my panties. Oh shit, I wasn't wearing panties. What in the hell had I done? "_Abort, Stephanie, abort_," the inner voice screamed. I covered my fear with a little laugh and the signature throat clearing that people do when they're really nervous.

His stare was intense. I struggled not to bolt and run. 'Later' he mouthed at me, which had Raphael laughing out loud.

"Maybe you're the one in trouble, little sis," Raphael casually observed.

"Would you shut up? You aren't helping," I told him quietly.

The rest of the guys started talking about how smoothly the whole evening had gone, and the conversation turned away from our little interchange. Thank God!

About twenty minutes later, we were driving back towards the beach house in complete silence. The tension was so thick I could have cut it with a knife. _Shit. Shit. Shit._ _Nice work, Stephanie. You've blown it with him!_ _You knew better than to question his authority in front of his employees. Stupid._

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to break the silence and decided to just jump right in, head first. "So…how much trouble am I in?"

Carlos cut his eyes to me for a minute, confusion clearly visible on his face. "Trouble?" he inquired.

I shook my head slightly and began rambling. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taunted you in front of the guys. You've told me not to. I don't know what I was thinking, doing that. My mouth just sort of…."

"Babe!"

"Huh?"

"I'm not mad about that." Carlos' strained tone had me puzzled. He seemed upset about something, and if it wasn't that, then what was it?

His lips tilted up slightly. "That was actually fun. Usually I keep things strict and professional on a take-down. But, you had the situation under control and we had about three times the necessary force we needed for the job, so I relaxed a bit." This had me smiling now. Yet another side of Carlos was being revealed. "Plus, I never miss an opportunity to bait my big brother. Never have, never will. He makes it too easy sometimes."

My mind struggled to form a picture of 'little Ranger' plotting and executing pranks against his big brother. The image that sprang forward caused me to burst out laughing. Carlos glanced over at me and began laughing, too.

"I bet you were a cute little mischief maker," I managed to say when my laughter subsided.

This would have been the perfect opportunity for Carlos to elaborate on some of his childhood memories. Had he tried to fly from the garage roof like me? However, we had arrived at the beach house and the conversation died a natural death as we made our way in through the garage.

We walked hand in hand through the kitchen. Carlos opened the French doors to the pool deck, and we stepped outside. The night was still warm, with the gentlest of breezes. He guided us towards the rattan loveseat. When we were seated, he settled his arm around me and pulled me into his body. He placed a soft kiss to the top of my head.

"I'm proud of you, Babe. You did great tonight."

"Thanks."

"I need to discuss the next couple of month's plans with you."

"Okay." _Look at me; I'm getting the hang of these one word answers._

"Yesterday I went to see Rachel and discuss the concerns the psychologist had regarding Julie's treatment. While I was there, Rachel asked if we'd be willing to stay and keep Julie for the next three to six months while she's recovering."

I blew out a breath. How did I feel about this? I mean, I loved it down here. There was no 'Burg grapevine, no 'Bombshell Bounty Hunter' title to live down, no crazy grandma trying to cop a feel of my fiancé, (okay, I thought that was funny, but still he was mine!), and here there were very minimal interruptions to my and Carlos' personal time. We enjoyed a lot more freedom in Miami than we did in Trenton, more anonymity, and a lower profile. That was nice. Plus, this house had a beach in the backyard… hard to beat that.

Carlos patiently waited for me to mentally ramble through my thoughts. "So?" he inquired when my mind had finally come to a rest.

Alright, I was pretty onboard with this idea. Having Julie around had been a lot of fun, but I wasn't going to let him think this was easy for me. Nope. Payback time, Stephanie-style.

"I don't know, Carlos. I've lived in Trenton my whole life. This is a big adjustment."

"Babe, I thought you liked it down here."

"Oh, I do, I do. I mean the weather's a lot better here than in New Jersey right now, and the ocean is here and all, but the holidays are coming. What are we going to do about that? I've always been with my family during the major holidays. They expect it. Err, Mom expects it."

"How about we invite them here for Thanksgiving, and travel there for Christmas? Either Jim or I can fly them down in the jet a couple days before Thanksgiving."

"You'd willingly invited my grandma down here? Are you feeling alright?"

"Sure, why not? They're your family, Babe. I appreciate the sacrifice you'd be making to stay down here."

_Yeah, right. Being here, instead of Trenton during the winter months, is a real hardship._

"Well, that all sounds fine, but there's something missing."

"What am I forgetting, Steph? We can make adjustments where we need to."

"I think I need a 'deal sweetener'." The light of understanding instantly penetrated Carlos' beautiful brown eyes.

"So that's it. Okay, hit me. What's it going to be? More days off from running?"

"No, it's going to take more than that."

"Name it, Babe, it's yours," Carlos countered.

Now we're talking. Hmm, what did I want??? _Think Stephanie, make this good, what do you…._OH! I've got it! I wrapped my arms around his waist. Slowly, I made a path up his back, then traveled back down. My breasts pressing into his chest seemed to distract him for just a moment. That was all I needed. I yanked the handcuffs off his back snap, looped my fingers through them and brought them around to dangle in front of his face. He looked a little perplexed. This was perfect.

"You want my cuffs, Babe?"

"Yeah, I want your cuffs. I want to lock _you_ in the cuffs."

He was speechless. Mentally I started doing the happy, victory dance. I'd surprised him yet again. He started to say something, but stopped and shook his head. Clearly he was having trouble with this situation and needed a little push.

I patted him lightly on the shoulder. "We're going to do this, Babe," I said, "and it's going to be good."

TBC

**Depending on traffic today, I may post my next chapter on Wednesday instead of Tuesday next week. But, I'll be here one of those two days. See ya then!! Please reveiw....thanks!***


	10. Restraint

**Best Wishes**

by: amkp

Disclaimer: Okay, I only wished JE would write more smut, her description, "And then he was inside me," left me feeling a little cheated. I mean we'd waited for how long for them get together and that was the best she could do? And it was just that one time! Pllleeasssee! But sadly, they're hers and she can do anything she dang well pleases with them. I only _play_ with her 'toys' and receive no monetary compensation, just your reviews for which I'm terribly grateful…thank you!

Author's note: Thanks to JenRar, Jenny, my beta for her work with this drivel and to Girliegirl79, Cara, for letting me hash this out with her. Thanks, Babes.

**Warning:** This chapter is mainly smut, with just a touch of actual content, nothing that really adds to my story. So, if you're offended by sexual encounters, please skip this chapter and I'll see you in the next one. I'm only building the intimacy between Ranger and Stephanie in this chapter while having a little dirty fun. I hope this appeases all the handcuff smut junkies…you know who you are!!

Chapter 10-Restraint

**SPOV**

"Okay, wait," Carlos said in a firm voice as he took the cuffs from my hands and returned them to the back of his cargo pants.

_Wait? What?_ We made a deal! Now he wants to call it off? He told me anything I wanted. I finally get up the nerve to do something like this with him, and now he's backpedaling? _Damn it!_

"Babe, stop!" He shook my shoulders gently to snap me out of my inner ramblings. "I didn't say we weren't going to do this."

_Huh?_ I'm confused… he wants to do this?

"Stephanie, I need to set some conditions to this deal."

Oh okay, here we go. Rules. Yuck. There goes most of the fun. I hate rules!

Carlos blew out a slight sigh, then laughed softly. "You never cease to surprise me."

I blinked up at him and gave him a weak smile. He reached down to brush some hair back from my forehead. "I just need a secure location, alright?"

I nodded my head in understanding. Did he think I was just going to handcuff him to a light pole out front and have my wicked way with him? _Hmm. Well? No. No. Privacy would be better. Who knew who'd want to join the party if we were in public? There were all sorts of crazy women (mainly reading fanfic) that wanted to get their hands on my man! _

"Babe, being handcuffed leaves me, us, vulnerable. I need to know we're safe. We don't talk about this much, but there are people who would like nothing better than to take me out. I have to keep my guard up."

Wow, what a mood killer. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. My mind scrambled over how empty my life would be without Carlos. Since we'd become engaged, I've sort of lived in this bubble of happiness. I mean, we've certainly had more than one crisis in our lives, but 'us', as a couple, well, things couldn't be better.

"Hey, don't worry. I didn't bring this up to upset you. Since I've quit with the government stuff, it's safer, but the people I've dealt with through my military career and with RangeMan have long memories. It's foolhardy not to be cautious."

"Yeah, well, I've managed to attract some crazies all by myself so I guess it is a good idea to be careful."

"What I was trying to say was that I needed to set the security system and have the key to the cuffs within reach. Have my weapons close. That's all, Babe."

"I thought you were calling the deal off," I said quietly.

"No, Babe. But I've never voluntarily allowed anyone to restrain me."

"Really? I figured when you suggested handcuffs that you'd done this before."

"Used handcuffs in bed, yes. As the restrainer, but never as the restrainee. And really that hasn't been very often." Carlos paused and seemed to collect his thoughts. The very picture of him in bed with another woman made my heart hurt. I hated it, didn't even want to think about it.

"Stephanie, with the Army and my travels, I've had more 'experiences' than you. I don't want that to sound cruel or rude, but life's different outside of New Jersey."

"Thank God for small favors."

Carlos laughed softly, his face full of tenderness. When we had talks like this, no matter how uncomfortable the subject matter, he's always straight with me. He didn't waste time dodging unpleasantness or trying to 'talk around' the subject.

"Of course, I'd love to share some of the things I learned, some of the erotic stuff I've seen done, but only if you're comfortable with it. It's not my intention to spring sexual tricks on you. We have our whole lives ahead of us. We can take our time and try things here and there. And if we never do anything more, that's fine too. I love you, Stephanie. So if you're ever uncomfortable with anything, you call a halt and we stop, okay?"

The love this man shows me has my mind questioning what I ever did to deserve it. Carlos tipped my chin up with his thumb and looked into my eyes. I could see, feel, his love and I hoped he saw it reciprocated in mine. "I love you, Carlos Manoso," I breathed against his lips. He flashed a 1,000 watt smile before he captured my mouth in a soft, gentle kiss. He hands reached up into my hair as the kiss deepened and turned more passionate.

We separated after several long moments. Carlos caressed the side of my face with his knuckles. I leaned into the motion and closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of his touch.

"Let's go upstairs, Babe." He swept me up into his arms as I wrapped mine around his neck. He pushed the door closed with his foot and holding me against the door with one arm and his upper body, he secured the lock with his free hand.

He carried me into the hallway to the main console of the security system. He sat me on my feet briefly while he punched a complicated series of numbers into the panel. The same beeping I heard every night before we go to bed started, and then a computerized voice announced that the system had upgraded to level three security.

From my experience with RangeMan, I knew that this meant that if anything passed across the laser motion sensors surrounding the property and the house, that there would be an audible alert within the house and at the monitor station at the office. If the alert was not handled on the house's main console within two minutes, a RangeMan unit would be dispatched and all cameras in the entire house activated immediately.

When he was satisfied that the system was working properly, he scooped me back up into his arms and headed for the stairs. He carried me directly to the bed. My FMPs sunk into the carpet as he lowered me to the floor.

Reaching around him, I plucked his cuffs from the snap at the back of his cargos. Carlos raised his eyebrow and the corner of his mouth tipped up.

He released his gun from the side holster, then placed it on the bedside table. He took off the fully armed utility belt and laid it on the floor by the bed. Next, he bent to retrieve his knife and clutch piece from his ankle holsters. After setting those items down on the table, he began to empty the many pockets of his cargos. Pepper spray, stun gun, nylon cuffs, switchblade, extra bullets and cell phone were added to the building arsenal next to the bed.

In addition to all this, I knew there was also a gun secured between the mattress and the wall just below the headboard. He'd showed me how to grab the gun quickly and efficiently one night while we were lying in bed. He insisted I practice the move several times until he was confident I could do it without any trouble.

I looked at the overflowing table, then back at him. "Is that it?" I inquired, trying to raise a single eyebrow. I failed again, of course.

"No."

Good grief! I'd never actually seen everything he carried around assembled in one spot at the same time. Normally, he stored and put the items on piece by piece in the dressing room. There was enough stuff here to invade a small country. I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if he'd whipped out the parts to assemble a rocket launcher. What more could he possibly have left?

Carlos dug into his pocket and removed a cuff key, then placed it on the bed. "Use this only if the alarm goes off or when you're ready to release me. I won't make any effort to free myself, I promise."

I made an affirmative sound. My stomach was tied in knots. What had I gotten myself into? Could I pull this off? Hell yes, I could. I was a Jersey girl, and I was going to have Batman right where I wanted him…at my mercy!

"How you going to do this, Babe?"

Right. I needed a plan. What to do? What to do? I looked at the headboard, but there really wasn't anywhere to 'attach' him to. Damn. The footboard post? Hmm. That didn't really look like a viable option. The floor, attached to one of the bed legs? No, probably one or both of us would end up with rug burns, no fun in that. I looked around the room trying to find something, anything, to chain Batman to…

"Babe?"

"Hang on; I'm not the strategist in this relationship. I need a minute." My eyes continued to search the room.

"You've already had five minutes."

"Are you getting impatient?" This _was_ fun… He's nervous, and I haven't even started the main show yet!

"No. I have all night, Steph."

"So do I, Batman. So do I," I said confidently. This man was going down, slowly. By the end of this little adventure, he would be a puddle. The goal was to have him completely lose his cool. I wanted him to be the noisy one by the end, begging me to finish him. That sounded perfect. I could see a plan forming in my mind already.

"Okay. Since I can't cuff you to anything that looks even remotely comfortable, I'm going to just cuff your hands together and trust that you'll leave them above your head the entire time. Unless I _let_ you move them. Alright?"

"You're the boss, Babe."

"Oh, I like the sound of that!"

I walked over to stand in front of him. Lightly I ran my left hand up his strong, tight chest while my right hand clasped the first bracelet to his left wrist. His eyes bore holes into me, probably in an effort to intimidate, but tonight, I was in control and calling all the shots; I refused to buckle under the pressure. I stared right back, gave a smug smile and tugged his left hand between us before reaching for his right wrist. Carlos did not resist. He simply allowed me to clamp the other cuff into place.

Okay, I realize that even with his hands cuffed in front of him, he was still a force to reckon with. That probably he could completely incapacitate me in a couple quick moves. But he wouldn't. He was handing me the power, willingly, and for the first time in his life, he was letting someone do this to him. It was a heady feeling for me.

Grabbing his bound hands, I pulled him around until his back was to the bed. I reached up and plowed my fingers roughly into his hair. With the four inch FMPs, I was nearly eye level with him, and I used this to my advantage. It was a short stretch to seal my lips over his. I held his head in place as I deepened the kiss, wedging my right leg between his legs. I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth, then nipped lightly.

Releasing his head, I let my hands travel down to settle in the center of his chest. I traced his nipples through his shirt, which caused him to twitch. At that moment, I used all my strength to shove him back with my hands and my upper body. He landed with a flop, since he was unable to control the fall. I remained standing next to the bed. He brought his head up a fraction to meet my gaze.

"Nice," he said softly.

"Um hmm." Bending down, I began unlacing his boots. When they were removed and placed out of the way, I removed his socks, tossing them over my shoulder without looking. I gripped his ankles and hauled his feet up onto the bed. Carlos worked with me, shifting his body so that he was now lying completely on the bed.

Again, I remained standing. My hands reached out and clasped the chain between the cuffs; with a gentle tug, I moved his hands to a position above his head. When I was satisfied with their placement, I used my fingertips to trace a path down his arms, his chest and stopped at his waist. Grabbing two handfuls of his shirt, I pulled it from his pants. My knuckles raked across his nipples as I pushed the shirt over his chest, then over his head.

With the cuffs in place, I would be unable to remove the shirt completely, but that was part of the plan. I pulled it until it was past his hands, then wadded it up in a ball and settled it between his palms. He fisted his hands around the material. Perfect, just what I wanted. I figured he'd increase his grip if I was 'getting' to him, so I'd use this as a gauge.

Time to join the party… I crawled up onto the bed in a slow fashion; part by plan and part because the dress was so dang tight I could barely move. I threw one leg across his middle then settled myself right down on top of him.

Wow, I hadn't really done anything yet, and he was already rearing for action, based on the hardness that was my temporary chair. I couldn't resist, I gave a couple of gentle rocks against him. His eyes closed, he took a deep breath, and his grip tightened on the shirt.

Carlos regained his calm quickly and opened his eyes. He looked straight down his body to between my legs. Oh, I was well aware I was using the _Basic Instinct_ pose that Sharon Stone had made so popular in the movie. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're not wearing any panties."

"You're right, I'm not. Wasn't enough room for me and them, so I left the panties in the drawer over there." I motioned to the dressing room with a free hand.

"Dios," he breathed and closed his eyes again.

I realized that Carlos was practically always in contact me, in some way, when I was with him. Even in sleep, some part of us was touching. This was going to be my main weapon tonight. Touch. Touch everywhere.

Might as well start at the top and work my way down to the good stuff. I touched, kissed, licked and nibbled my happy little way from the tips of his fingers, down both of his arms.

My breasts may have accidentally on purpose brushed across his face repeatedly during this process. Each time that happened, the grip on the shirt would tighten and his breathing would pick up. _Just wait, Batman, this is only the warm-up._

I paid homage to his face, running my fingers lightly across the entire surface, bending forward to kiss his closed eyelids and then his brows, down the bridge of his nose, across to his ears. I stopped to trace the shell of his ear with my tongue. I couldn't see his hands and the shirt, but I could feel the muscles in his arm harden. Carlos' ears were very sensitive, so I took extra time with each one.

When I straightened back up to look down at him, I noticed his jaw was set and he was trying to pull his blank face into action. _Let's see how well that works out for you, sweetheart._

I'm aware that torture training is a major part of the Army Ranger curriculum, and no doubt, Carlos was an excellent student. He was able to close himself off from people and shut his emotions down to concentrate on the matter at hand, with everyone but me. Even before we officially became a couple, I'd seen small kinks in his otherwise flawless emotional armor.

The Stiva, Scrog and Slayer incidents immediately sprang to mind. During those times, I caught glimpses of how much power I had over this man. Of course, I was too scared to act on what I saw, what I knew in my heart, even then. I took up residence in the Denial Hotel and told myself he really didn't care that much for me, he didn't do relationships, yada, yada, yada. I was an expert with the denial emotion after all.

But, I'd seen his control slip. The scene in the hospital a couple of weeks ago was still fresh in my mind. He would let me see the _real_ him and not the blank, emotionless man he portrayed to the outside world. His attempt at the blank face now was merely a reflection of his training; he knew someone was trying to break his defenses, so he responded appropriately. When this got more interesting, more intimate, that mask would shatter. I'd see to that. It was my sole purpose at this point.

I continued my journey down his neck, using the same pattern as before until I arrived at his nipples. Next to his 'package', these were his most vulnerable spots. He always responded whenever I gave them any attention. I dragged my fingernail around one, then the other, until they formed a tight nub. He sucked in a breath the second I touched the first one. By the time I was finished with the second one, his knuckles were white on the shirt and his breathing had turned to short pants. When I settled my mouth over the right nipple, he hissed out a breath. I bit down lightly and a groan erupted from deep in his chest. I could feel it as much as hear it. The left one received the same attention with similar results and actions.

Continuing my sensual vacation, after a quick stop off at his navel, I arrived at ground zero… sort of. The actual treasure was still covered, but was straining to get out. I was just the person for the job. I flicked the button open and eased the zipper of his fly down. His erect cock rushed out to greet me. I quickly settled my mouth over the tip, offering my own brand of greeting. Carlos' upper body arched up in response.

I sampled him for several minutes before I resumed the pants removal. As each new piece of skin was exposed, I welcomed it with my mouth as well.

When the journey ended at his feet, I slid off the bed and knelt on the floor. I ran my tongue up the arch of his foot.

He let out an exclamation in Spanish. Someday, I really needed to get a handle on that language. I was missing all sorts of good things. Often 'in the heat of the moment', Carlos would switch to Spanish. I'm not sure if he's even aware he does it, but nothing turns me on faster than hearing him speak it, even if I have no idea what he's saying.

When I sucked his small toe into my mouth, I think he went a little crazy. But I couldn't worry about that, I had a whole other foot to take care of. When that job was finished, I rose to a standing position at the end of the bed.

Yum, yum. The sight displayed before me looked, well, delicious. Carlos himself he seemed just a touched frazzled, teetering on the edge of rational thought. Perfect… Right where I wanted him.

I noticed that the clothes ratio was a bit one-sided, so I decided to even up the score. I turned around and slowly eased the zipper down the back of the dress.

Casually, I glanced over my shoulder to see if I'd caught his notice. Oh good, I had his undivided attention. When the zipper was completely undone, I slid the material of the dress off my shoulders. As it moved down my arms, I turned back around to face Carlos.

His eyes were locked on my breasts. Once my hands were free, I reached up and cupped myself. I closed my eyes, then tipped my head back while I envisioned Carlos was the one teasing my nipples.

The Spanish resumed again in earnest, and if I'm not mistaken, louder and quicker. This was definitely doing things for him; and me as well, as a matter of fact. I was getting myself all cranked up. Good thing there was something right in front of me that could help me with my little problem. He looked pretty ready for action, too. Hee,hee,hee.

I leisurely bent forward to push the dress the rest of the way off. It fell to the floor noiselessly. I decided to leave the FMPs on for now, because they empowered me, made me feel sexier somehow. Besides, Carlos seemed to really like these shoes.

His eyes tracked my movements as I made my way to stand next to him at the side of the bed. I sat my naked ass right at his waist, then leaned over to kiss him on the mouth.

Don't get me wrong, I was enjoying this time with Carlos, but I missed his hands on my body. It seems I'm pretty addicted to his touch as well.

When our kiss ended, he nuzzled his face against the side of my breast. His tongue darted out and licked my nipple. I gasped in pleasure. I decided this was fun for both of us, so I settled myself back over him and braced my hands on either side of his head, leaving my breasts to dangle in front of his face.

He's never made a secret that he's an opportunist, so when I did this, he wasted no time sucking my nipple into his mouth. Good God that felt great! I savored the feel of his mouth of my flesh for several minutes, then pulled away and settled my mouth back onto his. When I straightened back up, he spoke to me for the first time since I started this.

"Babe, I want to taste you."

"Who's the boss here?" I asked purposely.

"Please."

_Shit!_ The 'please' will do it every time and he knows it! _Okay Stephanie, give a little here. He's been a good sport so far._ I crawled on my knees towards his head until I was directly above his face. I placed my hands in his cuffed ones and tightened my grip around his wadded up shirt as he licked at inner folds. His tongue circled my bundle of nerves, and when he bit down lightly, I nearly rocketed off the bed. Then his clever tongue began thrusting into my core.

Omigod, even restrained, he could get me off in no time at all. The first orgasm hit me from out of nowhere, without warning. I may have screamed. Okay, I know I did, and that was not the sole purpose of tonight.

I began my descent back down his body as he spoke up again. "Babe, where are you going?"

"Not far. About right here," I said as I sucked nearly his full length into my mouth. His hips thrust forward in reflex. Yep, two could play this game. I reached down with my hand to fondle his balls, pulling lightly on them.

He didn't exactly scream, but his voice was definitely raised when he said, "Fuck!" Now we're cooking. This was what I wanted. I continued to massage his sac with my hand and his cock with my mouth. He was getting pretty worked up, so I decided to flip his switch.

I sucked harder and faster, using one hand to stroke the part of him I couldn't get into my mouth. With my free hand, I reached up and pinched his right nipple. This triggered his release, and he shouted out in Spanish. Apparently I caught him off guard.

His head began thrashing from side to side and his hands locked in a death grip on the shirt, veins standing up on his arms. I swallowed his juices as they came, continuing to work him with my mouth through his orgasm.

When the tide had passed, his cock was still hard, and I saw no reason to waste a good thing. I quickly positioned myself above him and slammed down on top of him in one fluid motion.

He bolted upright in bed and I nearly lost my seat. I guess since his head was thrown back and his eyes were staring unfocused at the ceiling after his orgasm, he might not have noticed that I was gearing up for a ride. Maybe, I just might have surprised him, huh?

"Shit! Fuck! Stephanie! Are you trying to kill me?"

"Me? Of course not, Carlos, I'm not done with you yet."

The Spanish resumed as he flopped back down on the bed. Oh well, I guess that conversation was over. No problem. I had something to entertain me.

I began my ride, slowly at first, using my inner muscles to tighten around him. Each time I did this, he got a smidgen louder. Before long, I needed to pick up the pace. I could feel my next orgasm bubbling to the surface. With my hands pushing down on his chest as leverage, I began to ride him hard and fast.

His eyes couldn't decide what they wanted to focus on, where our bodies were joined or my bouncing breasts. Let him figure that out for himself. I shut my eyes, threw back my head and screamed when the orgasm arrived.

This set him off again, and his shout was music to my ears. Good thing we had the house to ourselves and the neighbors weren't close. Tonight had turned out to be rather loud.

When the last waves of my orgasm had smoothed, I opened my eyes and looked down at Carlos. He had sweat glistening on his chest, and the hair around his face was damp as well. The shirt lay limply between his shackled hands. He looked relaxed, but completely exhausted. I felt able to conquer the world. Maybe after a few minutes of recovery, I'd be ready to go again.

"Not on your life, Stephanie Plum," he said in a strained voice.

"What? Did I say that out loud?"

"No, but sometimes the look on your face speaks volumes. And the one you just gave me was similar to the one I see when you're considering that second Boston Crème that we both know you won't resist."

"Well, maybe if I take these cuffs off you, you'll be more agreeable to another round."

Locating the key on the bed, I unlocked the cuffs and massaged his wrists where the bracelets had dug into his skin.

I eased up and off of Carlos, settling myself down at his side with my head resting on his chest. He moved his arms around me to embrace me and hold me tight against him.

This had been fun, but the feel of his touch had been greatly missed, and I didn't know if this was something I wanted to do again anytime soon. I didn't feel as connected to him as I do when his hands are free. I decided to see what he thought about it.

"So, what did you think about being the restrainee?"

"I missed the freedom to touch you. Don't get me wrong, Stephanie, it was great. You blew my mind, more than once, but it didn't have the depth of feeling that I usually have with you. That I've only had with you."

"I know. I felt that, too. I guess this means I'm off the hook with having them used on me, huh?"

"I don't think so, Babe. While you were working your sexy mouth all over my body, I was plotting."

"Plotting?" I squeaked. I knew what a master planner he was, and frankly, I was a little scared. God, I hope I survived.

"Paybacks are a bitch, Steph," he promised, and as he leaned down to kiss me, I felt the cuffs lock around my wrists. Sweet heaven, I was in Big Trouble!

_Author's note:__ Want to hear Ranger's POV on Steph in handcuffs? You decide. I'll base my next chapter on the reviews I receive. 20 'yeah' votes for smut and you hear his side. If not, the story resumes the following morning with no details. Again, your choice!_


	11. Payback, Carlos style

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 11-Payback, Carlos-style

Disclaimer: JE owns them, but I get to make them smutty and satisfied for our pleasure.

Author's note: Okay, ladies, you completely blew me away with your reviews for last chapter. Seriously! Wow!! THANK YOU so much! Thanks to all of you who have an anonymous status, I'm sorry I can't thank you individually, so here you go, THANKS!!

Since you all were so nice with the reviews for chapter 10, this chapter will include RPOV of Steph in cuffs. In fact, I had this chapter wrote and beta'd when I posted chapter 10. My intent was to cut the smut scene if it didn't get reviewed well….so, umm, that didn't happen. LOL. And I was so happy with the response, that I went back and re-worked this chapter…I added more! Hope I don't disappoint.

Thanks to my overworked beta, Jenny (JenRar.) Poor thing had to go through this smut scene twice and give me ideas on how to expand the whole thing. Don't you feel sorry for her? I know, I do! And as always to Cara (girliegirl79), well, for just putting up with me! She's had her work cut out for her, too, this week dealing with me! What a true friend!

**RPOV**

Ahh… victory. It tasted so sweet. Stephanie's eyes had nearly bogged out of her head when the click of the cuffs had resounded in the room. Payback time, Carlos-style. Ooh Rah!

One of the many skills I learned during Ranger's school was flexibility. Being able to quickly change and execute a plan could sometimes mean the difference between life or death. This skill had been refined over the years, and even more so since meeting one Stephanie Plum. A man had to be ready for anything when dealing with her. Always have a backup plan, maybe two, was the motto I used with her. I love it; I love her. She keeps me on my feet and I think she's only vaguely aware of how much power she truly has over me. It's been like this from the beginning. There have been times I've been able to tamp it down, push it back, but she's always 'gotten' to me, intrigued me, puzzled and surprised me. And after living in the dark, ugly place my life had been in before meeting her, I know that she's a precious gift that I'll never take for granted.

All this being said, the girl's going down! I'm not unaware of my power over her either; sometimes with just a penetrating stare, I can turn her into putty in my hands. Now that's power!

Besides, we made a deal with the handcuffs. Granted, I'd planned to wait and hang this over her head for a while more, but after her little surprise tonight, I decided not to wait. There'd be more deals between us, and I'm sure I can think of something equally as satisfying as the next couple hours are going to be. At least three things are already coming to mind. No need to dwell on future deals right now, though, because the present is pretty damn hot! Back to business.

The first thing I wanted to do was change locales. I knew exactly where I was taking our little party. She was coming out of her surprise, somewhat, and had fallen suspiciously quiet. That is, until I scooped her up into my arms.

"What are you doing? Where are we going?" Her voice was showing panic.

"You'll see."

She fell back to silence and I continued to plot. When we arrived into my chosen room, she didn't disappoint with her response.

"The gym? Are you kidding me? I'm _not_ doing any type of exercise with handcuffs on. I'm liable to kill myself!"

"Don't worry, Babe. The only exercise you'll be doing is with your lungs. I'll take care of everything else."

"Why here?" she questioned as I sat her on the bench press seat.

"This is a room I spend a lot of time in, and I'm going to create some pleasant memories to recall during my workouts. Maybe, after this, you'll even want to join me here more often?" I shot her the one eyebrow look, and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't hold you breath, Batman. You have no idea the extent in which I hate to exercise."

"We'll see, Babe. We'll see."

Walking over to the panel for this room, I hit the button to close the vertical blinds that provided a view of the beach. Then I dimmed the lights to about half their normal brightness. When that was done, I walked over to the sound system and turned on the music.

My musical tastes are pretty varied, but when I workout, I need to 'feel' the bass and the rhythm, so most of the stuff here runs toward heavy metal and rap. I just let the system shuffle through its contents. I didn't really care what played, as long as it had a beat. I adjusted the sound to fairly loud. If I need to say anything to Stephanie, I'd whisper it in her ear anyway.

Next, I went to my pull-up station. The bars on this piece of equipment were adjustable. I slid the bar out of position and propped it up against the leg, then turned to go collect my victim, I mean, fiancée.

"Carlos?"

Yep, I was making her sweat. She was definitely concerned about where I was going with this. Good.

"Yeah, Babe."

"What are you going to do now?" she asked, eyeing me suspiciously and chewing at her bottom lip.

I grabbed her clasped hands and pulled her to her feet. She stood naked in front of me, wearing just those fucking hot shoes and the handcuffs. My cock jumped to attention at the sight.

"Stephanie, quit worrying. You're going to enjoy this, I promise," I whispered into her ear and closed my arms around her. She settled her head against my chest. We stood like this for several moments, just absorbing each other in and feeling the peace. When she seemed more relaxed, I stroked down her arms, captured her hand and moved her over to the pull-up station.

I picked up the bar, slid it under the chain of the cuffs and raised it to a height that would have her arms slightly raised above her head. I had her facing the wall of mirrors. This was one of the main reasons I'd chosen this room. I wanted us to be able to watch. I needed to make a trip upstairs, to our bedroom, to get some more items for my plan. It was time to bring out the black box of 'goodies' I'd been collecting for some time to use with Stephanie. Our first trip to Pleasure Treasures, during her FTA apprehension, had inspired the collection, and it's grown over the years. When we'd made the deal to use handcuffs, I'd planned to put at least a couple of the things in the box to good use. No better time than the present.

I brushed her hair away from her ear and whispered, "I'll be right back."

"Huh? What? Where are you going?! Don't leave me here chained up, for cripes sake!" She was clearly not happy about this, but I'd make it up to her, and good.

"Babe, I'm just running upstairs for something. I won't be two minutes."

The dash upstairs took less than twenty seconds. I grabbed the box out of the bedside stand. I opened it, checked the contents, and smiled a shit-eating grin at the toys inside, as well as the image of what her expression will be when she sees this. Stephanie Plum was about to get an education! I ran into the bathroom to gather a couple more things, then I made the return trip downstairs to my waiting fiancée. This was turning out to be a great night!

When I arrived back into the room, she eyed the box and supplies I was carrying with trepidation. I placed the box at her feet, then crossed to the room to get some towels for the first item of business. I tossed the towels on top of the box and stepped behind Stephanie, wrapping my arms around her while pressing my body tightly against her back.

Our eyes met in the mirror and held for a long moment. Stephanie's facial expressions are one of the many things I love most about her. I could, and have, spend hours just watching her face. She thinks I can read her mind, which I sometimes can, based solely on her expression.

The look she was sporting now was a mirage of emotions. Fear, curiosity, anticipation, courage and love were all present. I let a tender expression settle over my face. She gave me a small smile and I placed a kiss to curve of her neck. Let's get this party started!

Reaching up to her hands, I drug my fingers lightly down her arms. Goose bumps peppered her skin. Using my foot, I pushed between her feet and signaled her to open up her stance more. Her body formed a figure 'X'. Sexy. My hands continued down, stopping to pull at her hair. I tipped her head back and placed a kiss to her lips. My teeth nipped at her bottom lip then delivered little bites down the column of her neck.

Her nipples pebbled at the sensation, and my palms itched to hold her breasts. I wasn't going to deny myself anything tonight, so I closed my hands around her.

The music pounded out and I couldn't stop myself from grinding my erection into the curve of her ass. She groaned, and her head fell back against my shoulder. She bit at my ear, which elicited a groan from me.

_Damn! _I have no idea why my ears are so sensitive to her touch, but now that she's discovered how it gets to me, she uses it all the time. This woman drives me mad with lust.

Reigning in my desire for her, I walked back around to stand in front of her naked body. I bent down and opened the box. I found what I was looking for quickly, rose to my feet and undid one bracelet on her cuffs. I took the freed hand and secured another pair of cuffs to it. By doing this, it allowed her to move her arms. She could slide them on the pull-up bar, or she could also grip the bar if she wanted to, since there was now slack on the cuffs.

With that job done, I reached for the supplies I'd brought from the bathroom. She broke the silence when she saw what I had.

"Carlos?" Her voice was hesitant and showed some fear.

"Yeah, Babe."

"What are you doing with all that stuff?" Her gaze shifted to the items now spread out at her feet.

"Shave you."

"Say that again! Did you say shave me? Like my legs?"

"Not your legs, Steph," I said with a smirk.

"Then what?"

I looked directly at my target. _3…2…1…_ The light of understanding clicked on in her brain.

"You mean…my…omigod! Carlos, you can't be serious!"

"Babe, have you ever shaved bare?"

"Well, no, it's weird."

"Why? I'll be the only other one that knows, Stephanie."

There was a long pause as she considered all this, then she finally responded, "Okay, but if I don't like this, it'll be the last time, right?"

"Yes. I'm not going to force you to do things you don't like."

She nodded her head and bit at her lip nervously. I stood back up, placed my hands on either side of her face and claimed her mouth in a hungry, passionate kiss. We were both breathing heavily by the time we separated. When I looked into her eyes, there was a softness in them that she gets when she's aroused.

"I really think you'll like the feeling, Babe. I wouldn't suggest this if I didn't think so."

A small smile and a calm expression settled over her face. I dropped back onto the floor to start my task. When I was all done, I wiped the shaving cream away and placed a lotion over the whole surface to keep her from itching. _Shit!_ She looked beautiful bare. I didn't think my dick could get any harder. It was almost to the point of painful already.

I pushed all the shaving stuff to the side and opened the black box. I heard her suck in a breath when she saw the contents.

"Umm, Carlos, what are you going to do with all those things? You aren't planning on using all of them tonight, are you?" She was getting just a touch hysterical, and that wasn't my intention. I wanted this to be a playful, fun thing we could do together.

"No, Babe. I started collecting this stuff after our first trip to Pleasure Treasures."

"Seriously?"

"I'd hoped we'd get a chance to play with this stuff. That you'd trust me enough to at least try it."

"I've never really experimented with things like that. I mean, other than my shower massager." She clamped her mouth shut quickly, pinched her eyes shut tight and groaned. "Oh God, did I say that outloud?!"

I laughed. I knew all about her 'relationship' with the shower head. I'd been outside her bathroom door on more than one occasion and had heard her. She's never quiet in the middle of her orgasm. The past week with my parents and Julie here had nearly killed her. She'd taken to throwing a pillow over her head as soon as she started to come to keep from being overheard. I'm not exactly sure that was completely efficient, as she was still pretty loud.

Stephanie was looking intently at the open box, anxiety evident in her expression.

"Babe, how about I change direction here?"

"What now?" Yep, she's still nervous about what I'm going to do to her.

"I'll put this away for now. We'll get it out later and decide what you're comfortable with and what you're not."

"Okay, so are you going to uncuff me now?"

"Not exactly. I have some other ideas."

"Does he ever not have a plan?" I think that was meant to be under her breath, but I have excellent hearing.

"Where you're concerned? No, Babe, I always have a plan."

I reached up and cupped her breast, then pressed a kiss to her stomach. My finger traveled south and down between her now smooth fold. I kissed my way down her stomach, detouring around her treasure to travel down her legs, stopping to nip at her inner thighs. My finger just skimmed over her clit before sliding into her to test her wetness. She was so warm. I knew just what to do about that.

When I stood and stepped away from her body, her eyes flew open to check my progress.

"Just going to the kitchen, Babe. Be right back."

She muttered something else under her breath about what in God's name was I going to do now, but it was flying out of her mouth fast, and I had a hard time keeping up with her private conversation with herself. Instead of trying to listen, I just quickly made my way to the kitchen.

Grabbing a bowl from the cabinet, I got what I needed and headed back. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw what I'd brought with me this time. I reached into the bowl and extracted a piece of the ice. I placed it in my mouth, then leaned forward to slip it into her mouth.

My cold hands grabbed her around the waist. She shrieked a little and tried to pull away, but I held tight. I picked up another piece, smiled and gently rubbed it over her nipples. She gasped. Goosebumps broke out down her arms and across the skin of her chest. Her nipples became hard pebbles again, and I bent to suck one into my mouth.

"Oh God, the ice is so cold, your mouth is so hot!" She spoke around the piece of ice that was still melting in her mouth.

As the water ran down her body, I licked at it, blowing warm breaths to heat her chilled skin. When that piece was gone, I got two more, creating paths down her back; I stopped and circled her ass. Her grip tightened on the bar overhead, then she sank her teeth into my shoulder as I ran one piece between her cheeks. When I hit the forbidden territory, she tensed and all movement ceased.

"Easy," I whispered into her ear. "We're not doing anything you're not ready for, okay?"

She nodded against my shoulder; her body loosened a bit, but was still tense. I wanted her to move past this inhibition and open herself to at least the possibility that, if done right, this could bring her extreme pleasure.

"Babe, don't think about it…just feel. I'm not going to hurt you. Relax."

Settling the ice directly over the area, I stopped and held it in place. With the second piece of ice, I moved around to her front and rubbed the frozen square all over her mound. Her moan was long and loud, causing me to involuntarily press my cock against the bare softness. I gritted my teeth and sucked in a breath to reign in the instinct to just grab her legs and pound into her until we both reached our climaxes. _Not yet. Be patient, Manoso. It'll be worth the wait, you know that_.

I fell to my knees in front of her, kissing at the wet path the ice had made while holding firm on the piece that was still melting to her unexplored hole. The ice was nearly gone. Absently, I picked up another piece and settled it over her clit. Her voice rose to a near scream. I let the ice slide down further, while my mouth warmed the cooled, delicate skin. I nudged her legs further apart with my shoulders. The first piece of ice, over the forbidden hole, was gone, the area very cold to the touch. I gently probed at the opening as I pushed the other piece of ice up into her warm, wet center with my thumb.

She bucked against my mouth as the ice cooled her from the inside. My tongue slid into her next, while my finger continued to toy with her other opening, just lightly touching and probing, but not actually dipping inside.

"Carlos, that feels so…oh…I don't know…umm."

Her body was getting ready for the impending orgasm. My name was a chant that she started as her leg muscles began to tighten. She was close. I placed one finger inside her slowly, swirling it in a gentle motion. She bucked against my mouth that was now settled over her clit. I bit down lightly, and she came unglued. The juices began to flow, mixing with the water from the melting ice, but I wasn't even close to being done with her. She had a lot more to give me.

I added another finger and became more forceful with the motion, while maintaining the pressure to her puckered hole with my other hand. Her voice raised, able to be heard over the music, but not able to be understood. She was babbling undistinguishable words as she was gripped in the sensations I was applying to he body. I buried two fingers inside her and she started to come. I applied firm pressure to her other hole as my teeth bit at her clit.

When the next orgasm claimed her, my fingers could feel the tightness. A little more attention and a couple of well delivered touches to the right areas, and she'd be ready for another surf in the ocean of desire. She was panting, her body rising quickly to the crest of the next climax. I added a third finger, dipped just a fingertip into her relaxed, pliable second hole, and she screamed out as she free fell over the edge again.

Her knees buckled, and I had to move fast to grab her thighs and support her weight. Whole body shivers went through her as the wave smoothed. I stood and settled her legs around my waist, easing the pressure from her arms as I held her against my body. The feel of her bare pussy was doing things to my state of mind. I could feel the beast wanting to rise up and claim what was mine, not willing to be denied anymore.

My cock was throbbing painfully by this point. I was sure her arms were getting tired, too. I reached up and released the bar from its holder. Sliding her hands free, but leaving the bracelets in place, I decided I wasn't going to take the time right now to release her wrists. I rubbed her arms vigorously to restore the circulation, and then picked her up into my arms.

I lay her down on the press bench and sat down as well. I pulled her legs up to drape across my shoulders, lifting her off the bench to meet my cock. I teased her opening with just the tip of my erection at first.

She squirmed and wiggled so much that I had to tighten my grip on her legs to keep her from flipping us onto the floor. When my cock found the bull's-eye, I rose slightly off the bench and I dove in hard, sliding up into her with all my force. She screeched out in pleasure, her pussy tightening around my cock and coating me in her release.

I didn't stop the roar that had built up inside me, I just let it out. _Mi Dios, I loved being inside this woman. _We matched time with the pounding music. My body was driving forward into hers and hers pushing hard against mine.

She brought her hands to her mouth and bit down on the fleshy part of her palm. Her sounds radiating from deep within her body had me racing to my orgasm. When it arrived, it hit me like a round-house kick to the head. Hard, fast and out of nowhere. _Holy Shit! _I clamped my teeth together, cursed under my breath, dug my fingers into her legs and tried to remain conscious.

She lost her fight with consciousness as she suddenly went limp. I had a moment of panic, until I realized what happened. La petite mort, the little death, was rare, and I'd never had it happen with any of my previous sexual partners.

She came around quickly and was completely disoriented. "What? Huh? Carlos?"

I pulled her body up and into my arms, laying her head on my shoulder as I petted her hair.

"Babe, it's okay. You're okay. You blacked out for a minute."

"I what? In the middle of some of the best sex of my life? Are you kidding me?"

"The French call it la petite mort."

"You speak French, too?" she asked in exasperation.

I laughed out loud. She never disappoints. I kissed her shoulder and smoothed my hands down her back. "There are several languages I'm fluent in, Babe. It was necessary with my work. But I think most men know about that particular French phrase."

If I had a smug look on my face, sue me. I was pretty pleased with myself. Men liked to brag about this shit. And while I'll never tell another soul about what just happened, I loved the feeling it gave me.

"Great, just great," she muttered under her breath.

Her stomach growled out its warning. I guessed we'd burnt up the pizza from earlier and she was hungry again, probably dehydrated a bit as well. I placed her back down on the bench, checking to make sure she was stable before I rose to my feet to retrieve the cuff key.

I released her hands, kissed at the marks left on her wrists and then pushed her hair back from her forehead. I dropped a kiss there and helped her sit up.

"Stay there." I said as I walked over to the closet. I pulled on a pair of my shorts and grabbed a pair for her, along with one of my shirts. I shut down the music before returning to her. I dressed her myself, because honestly, I don't think she could have done it on her own. She was wiped out.

When we arrived in the kitchen, and I sat her on a bar stool while I grabbed us something to eat out of the refrigerator. The first item was a bottle of Gatorade, to replenish her fluids. She gave me a questioning look and I returned it with a look that said, "Don't argue." She shrugged her shoulders and began drinking. I made us each a cold-cut sandwich with some fresh sliced melon. We ate in silence. By the time she'd finished her meal, she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Time for bed, Babe."

She mumbled her agreement as I picked her up in my arms. She rested her head against my shoulder and was asleep before I reached the stairs.

The bed felt pretty good, and the woman snuggled warmly at my side felt even better. Sleeping with Stephanie has always brought me the best rest. Those nights, before we were a couple, that I'd snuck into her apartment in the dead of the night, were pure selfishness on my part. I was always drained when I did that, and needed the comfort of her presence, even if she was asleep.

I'd never thought that sleeping with someone would bring me such happiness. My previous relationships always found me leaving the bed before sunrise, with little to no rest. I'm still surprised that I slept with Stephanie, as many times as I did, and only enjoyed her body that one night. I guess that's a true testament to the depth of feelings I have for this woman. I brushed a kiss to the top of her head and drifted off to sleep.

When I opened my eyes again, it was nearly eight in the morning. I couldn't believe I was still in bed. The night's activities had taken a lot out of us, apparently. I looked to her side of the bed and saw the mass of curls spread wildly over her pillow. One of her arms lay across my stomach, and the other thrown above her head. She had pinned one of my legs between hers. I untangled myself from her and rose from the bed. She didn't stir, of course. I leaned down and placed a kiss to her back before heading to the bathroom.

Five minutes later, I was heading to the gym. I was smiling like an idiot when I arrived into the room. The black box and everything else from the previous night were still here. I quickly stored all of the items into the closet, to be put away later. The room smelled of sex, hopefully I'd be able to concentrate on my morning routine. The memories of last night were fresh in my mind. If I closed my eyes, I could still hear her moans resounding above the music. I was eager to try out all the fun toys I'd been accumulating over the years. I wanted Stephanie to be comfortable enough to actually enjoy me pushing her boundaries, so I would wait until she was ready, however long that may be.

Now I was sporting a massive hard-on. _Focus, Manoso, focus!_ I started towards the bench press, but stopped and turned towards the pull-up station. Nope, the bar was still sat in the position I used for her. Maybe I'd just start with the treadmill, then the rowing machine and end with some free weights.

About an hour later, I decided to finish my workout in the pool. I downgraded the security system before stepping onto the pool deck.

With a hundred laps behind me, I made my way back into the kitchen to make coffee. Carrying the coffee along with me, I went into the office to catch up on my email. A little over an hour later, the sound of my cell came from upstairs. _Damn!_ I'd left it next to the bed. I heard Stephanie's groggy voice answer the phone as I made my way up the stairs.

"Yo. Oh, hi, Ron. How are you?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he's around here somewhere."

I walked into the room and she added, "Here he is now. Sure. Nice talking to you, too."

"Hey, Babe." I kissed her forehead and whispered, "Good morning. Sorry this woke you," as I reached to take the phone from her. I turned to walk out of the room, hoping she'd be able to go back to sleep if I left her alone.

"Henderson, how's it going?"

**SPOV**

Okay, the phone call had my curiosity running full-tilt. Why would the Secretary of Defense be calling Carlos? Was this just a friendly 'how ya doin' call or was he wanting Carlos for a job?

Carlos had promised no more missions. He'd been given papers saying he was under no further obligation to the government. I know he and Ron are friends, but this just didn't feel right.

Of course, Carlos had left the room almost immediately, which did nothing to help my nagging feeling and didn't allow me to eavesdrop on their conversation.

With my anxiety level raised, I realized that sleep was pretty much over for this morning. I tossed the covers back and padded off to the bathroom. The tub looked awfully inviting, and I hadn't indulged in a long soak for quite a while, so I turned the faucets on and grabbed the bath salts, dumping a liberal amount into the swirling water.

After about thirty minutes in the tub, I rose from the water and dried off. The rest of my beauty routine was completed in record time, since I opted to pull my hair up into a ponytail and forgo the make-up. In the dressing room, I chose a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

To the best of my knowledge, we were just lounging around the house today. Julie had a project due this week at school that we'd planned to work on when she returned from spending time with Charles and Natasha.

Carlos had mentioned something about trying out wind surfing this afternoon as well. I wasn't sure how I'd fare with that. My part will probably just be entertainment value for the two of them. I'm not nearly as athletically inclined as they are, and from what I've seen, it looks really hard to do.

As I was stepping out of the dressing room, I heard the doorbell ring. Checking the time on the bedside clock, I figured it was Julie. She was supposed to be home around noon, and it was nearly that.

I arrived downstairs to find Carlos, Julie, Charles and Natasha having a glass of iced tea. Carlos crossed to the base of the stairs to wait for me when he saw me heading down the steps.

Carlos greeted me with a warm smile, a soft kiss on the lips and a whispered, "Babe."

"Batman," I said as I returned the smile and kiss.

He placed his hand in mine and led me back to the table. I kissed the top of Julie's head as we passed by. We visited for several minutes with Julie's grandparents before they said they needed to get going. They had a tee-time in thirty minutes just down the road.

We ate a quick lunch of sandwiches and salad before we hit the beach. I had a dessert of ocean water; lots and lots of ocean water. Julie had actually fallen off her board once because she was laughing at me so hard.

I was hopeless; if I wasn't falling down, then I was getting tangled up in my kite's lines. Carlos was beyond patient with me, but I felt guilty because he was spending most of his time helping me and very little time on his own board. I decided I was much better at soaking up rays and watching them have fun from the safety of my beach blanket, because it didn't try to throw me off and serve me salty ocean water as a prize.

I settled myself on the large beach sheet, ready to take in their show. _Oh boy!_ I could have sat there all day and watched Carlos wind surf. He was really good.

The sport requires a lot of upper body strength, which he had in spades. His muscles rippled and flexed as he fought the wind and the surf. Julie was good, too, she just didn't have the strength or the daring of her dad. Carlos helped her several times. Her screams of excitement and joy could be heard above the crashing of the waves.

It was great to see her happy and relaxed. She'd been dealing with Ron's death better since the therapist had begun working with her. Luckily, her grades hadn't suffered much, which we'd all sort of expected to happen.

The pair finally made their way back to me. Julie dropped onto the blanket to my right.

"Have fun, Jules?" I asked as she lay spread-eagle with a smile on her face.

"Oh yeah! That was a blast! I think we should do that every weekend!"

"Thanks, but I'm staying here if you do!"

"Babe, you just need some practice."

"Practice, exercise, upper body strength, coordination…" I said, rolling my eyes. "I think I like watching a whole lot better."

"Well, I'm starving!" Julie resounded every teenager's never ending mantra.

"Your hunger is only matched by Steph's," Carlos observed, and I quirked both eyebrows at him. "I suppose you're hungry, too?" he added with a smile.

As a matter of fact, now that he brought the matter up. "Um, I could go for some ice cream!"

"Let's go, you two. I think Michelle has both of your favorite kinds stocked in the freezer," Carlos said as he gathered up the wind surfing gear.

We trudged up to the house. While Carlos and Julie put the boards and kites away, I went to the kitchen to get the ice cream. I even found some Raspberry Sorbet for Carlos. I carried the three bowls to the pool deck table with some bottles of water.

We sat for a time after the bowls were empty, before Julie said she should get started on her school work. Carlos told her to get everything out on the dining room table and we'd be inside in a few minutes; that he needed to talk to me, and then we'd be there within fifteen minutes or so.

I looked over at him as soon as Julie shut the door. "What do we need to talk about?"

"You know Henderson called earlier."

The fear and anxiety came rushing up into my throat. _Here we go again!_ I only nodded my head, because I didn't think I could speak the words to tell him to go ahead.

"I need to be in Washington the Tuesday after Thanksgiving."

**TBC**

So, what's up with this little turn of events? What will their next deal be? Will it involve the black box? Did I deliver well enough on RPOV of the smut? Please let me know!

Author's note:_ Okay, everyone, I had my biggest reviewed chapter of my writing career last week! And this has been a terribly hard week for me personally, so it couldn't have been a better time for it! Please, review! My father's terribly sick and you have no idea what your messages do for me! They mean the world! Thanks so much!_


	12. Formalwear, Friendship and Family

**Best Wishes**

by: amkp

Chapter 12-Formalwear, Friendship and Family

Author's note and Disclaimer: Okay, well, it happened to me. I'm always frustrated at JE for forgetting about the characters and plots within her own story, and well, my smarty-girl attitude bit me in the butt last chapter.

I had Julie wind surfing with a broken collar bone. Right. That _so_ wouldn't happen. I feel like an idiot. I apologize for not thinking of that, I really shouldn't have missed it. In my defense, it was an extremely stressful week.

So, I'm going to take a page from JE's book and call this a 'Senior Moment'. Hey, she's getting paid the big bucks, not me, and it works for her. Look how many people read her books (myself included, though the jury is out on whether I'll read 16 or not) even after she's made numerous mistakes within them. I hope I didn't turn off too many readers with my mistake, again, I'm sorry.

My thanks, as always, to my Beta, Jenny (JenRar) and my dear friend, Cara (girliegirl79).

**RPOV**

Stephanie's face went pale at my announcement. _Shit, Manoso,_ _that didn't come out right at all._ _You have to give more information before dropping a bomb like that, dumb ass._ Even though I've been in a committed relationship with Stephanie for nearly two months, I still think of things in singular terms. Years of living by myself and not having someone in my personal life to answer to had refined that skill. I needed, no, wanted, to break that habit immediately. If it were up to me, I'd never spend another night away from Stephanie. I'd, we'd, lost too much time together already, and I was smart enough to not waste another minute with her.

"Babe, look at me." I reached out and tipped her chin up with my finger. Her eyes were already shimmering pools of beautiful blue. _Fuck. Fix this, Manoso!_ "I shouldn't have said, 'I'. I meant, 'we'. _We_ need to be in Washington the Tuesday after Thanksgiving."

"Huh? Why do I need to be in Washington? What's this about? A job for RangeMan? A mission for you? I thought you were done with that, I mean…." She probably would have babbled on nervously for the rest of the day if I didn't jump in soon.

"Stephanie. Stop. It's a dinner at the White House."

"The….the…Whi..White House? Like with the President, White House?"

"Yeah, Babe, that White House." I tucked a stray curl behind her ear as I continued with my explanation. "Look, I hate these sort of things, but Henderson says since I've completed my time with Black Ops, and with the government contracts for security I still have through RangeMan, that I, we, really should make this dinner. It's good for business and for relations with the powers that be in D.C."

"Carlos, I don't know if this is such a good idea for me. You know how bad things happen when I'm around, right? I mean, just look at the Halloween party we went to last month. Joe ended up wearing some poor waiter's tray."

"Steph, it'll be okay. We'll be with Henderson and his wife, Megan. He's offered to let us stay at his house. Would that be okay with you?"

"Yeah, sure, but don't say I didn't warn you if something goes wrong."

"I'm not worried, Babe. I love you and want you by my side. That's all that matters."

"So what happens at these dinners? Do we just eat and listen to a bunch of speeches? What if I can't stay awake? That would be embarrassing." She chewed her bottom lip as she considered that possibility.

I gave her a warm smile and entwined our fingers. "There'll be some speeches. Politicians can't seem to help themselves when they have a captive audience, but this dinner is mainly an award presentation."

"Award? Oh, Tank mentioned something about this! This is because of the explosion and Jason, isn't it?"

I thought these awards were ridiculous. I was just doing my job, doing what I was trained to do by the Rangers. I'd acted on instinct and nothing more, but the military was big into these things.

Our uniforms reflected our achievements throughout our careers. While I can appreciate the honor and the example these tokens represent to the outside world and to the up-and-coming ranks of soldiers, I found the spotlight uncomfortable. I much preferred being in the background, doing the job quietly and efficiently with little fuss. My demeanor usually inspires enough respect for me. It has served me well through the years, even when I wasn't wearing my rank or achievements.

So this whole topic was completely unpleasant to me. "Yeah, the last mission," I said quietly, hoping that Stephanie wouldn't make a big deal about all this.

"I'm proud of you, babe." She spoke with a big smile on her face as she looked into my eyes.

"It's just the job. I didn't do it because I expected some sort of medal for the effort."

"Okay, I get it. You're uncomfortable with this. That's fine, we'll be uncomfortable together. I don't know how I'm going to get through this either. Mom's going to flip when I tell her we're having dinner at the White House."

"Stephanie, I wouldn't do this if Henderson didn't think it was important. God help him if he's yanking my chain," I joked. Henderson knew how much I hated this attention. Even though he was Secretary of Defense, he shared my aversion to this sort of thing. But it was part of the business. In his career choice, and mine, sometimes you did things that were out of the comfort zone, simply for the better good.

"What am I going to wear?"

Leave it to a woman to turn this into a clothing issue. "It's formal, Babe."

"Like the Valentino formal?"

"That'll work, or something from the closet upstairs. If you aren't happy with those, you can go shopping for a different gown."

"No. Good grief! I've got more formal clothes now than I'll ever wear. I'll figure it out."

"We should get inside and help Julie."

"Yep, sounds good to me."

I pulled Stephanie to her feet and gave her several long, passionate kisses before we made our way into the dining room to help with the school work.

Monday morning arrived early for me, as usual. I decided to start my week off on the right foot. I was spooning Stephanie with my body. I lifted her upper leg and slid into her warmth from behind, closing my eyes with the depth of the sensation as her velvety softness caressed my cock.

Stephanie came awake in small degrees, while I slowly began working my body in and out of hers. Soon she was pushing back against me, taking me deeper into her body as her moans of pleasure quietly filled the room. I cupped her breasts gently, rubbing the taut nipples between my fingertips, using only the slightest pressure. She wrapped her hands around mine and pinched at her nipples harder. I left her to that job while I found my way to the bundle of nerves just above where my cock was working her. Her pussy tightened around me in her first orgasm almost at the first touch to her sensitive clit. She clamped down hard on her bottom lip as her body rode out the wave of pleasure.

"Please…Now…Carlos," she panted and begged. "I want to feel you cum."

We didn't share much 'dirty' talk in bed, but when we did, it was a like flipping a switch with me. My pulse skyrocketed, and my body instantly began pumping faster into her without me having to even think about it. Within minutes, we were climaxing together.

"G'morning, Babe," I breathed into her hair as my respirations returned to normal and my arms held her tightly against my chest.

"It _is_ a good morning, Batman," she giggled happily.

"Well, since you're wide awake and in such a good mood, let's get up. We can run on the beach before I have to take Julie to school."

"Argghh," she groaned, all the happiness leaving her voice. She pulled the sheets over her head and buried her head into a pillow.

"No deal today, Steph. You haven't been running for several days." I plucked the pillow from her head and pulled the sheets back down. "Thursday is Thanksgiving. We should start working off the calories we're going to be consuming then."

"We?" she questioned in surprise.

"Yes, we. We're giving the temples a day off. The holidays are about family and food; I see no reason to deny ourselves."

"I can get onboard with that train of thought, but I still don't feel like running." She whined out that last part, which I found adorable.

Stephanie hated the 'idea' of exercise. However, I know she likes the results it's had on her body. It has built up her confidence and her energy level. I doubt she'll ever agree with me on the subject, just out of spite, and of course, I'll continue to press her about it. We understand and accept this little quirk in our relationship. I think we both get a kick out of it, honestly.

As we trudged up the sand towards the house, after completing nearly five miles, she threatened to make the deal of the century with me to avoid running again tomorrow.

"Promises, promises," I responded with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll see what you have to say tomorrow when you hear my deal," she cockily replied.

"I can hardly wait, Babe."

"Hey, you two!" Julie greeted as we stepped into the kitchen, where she was already eating a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning, carina," I replied back to her, before dropping a light kiss to the top of her head. She squeezed my hand that I had resting on her shoulder.

"Morning, Jules," Stephanie said, while making her way to the refrigerator for bottles of water and containers of yogurt for each of us.

"Carina, Stephanie and I are going to fly up to Trenton tomorrow to bring her family down here for Thanksgiving. I'm going to arrange for you to stay with your grandparents after school and tomorrow evening, okay?"

"Sure, Dad, that's fine. Mom's suppose to move this week to the rehab center. I know that'll make her happy. It'll be one step closer to going home."

Stephanie added her thoughts. "We're going to miss having you everyday, Jules. But getting home will be the best medicine for your mom and you both."

"Yeah, I know. I'm going to miss staying here, too. It's going to be weird, just her and I in the house. Ron's always been there, and now he's gone."

Julie began crying softly. I pulled her into an embrace and held her while she cried. Stephanie's face was etched with worried and regret. I think she felt terrible for bringing up the matter. It couldn't be helped, and neither Julie nor I held her responsible. We'd have to deal with the change in our lives; Ron's death had effected us all in one way or another. Julie quickly pulled herself together and gave us a watery smile before going to her room to finish getting ready for school.

Stephanie came around the bar and wrapped her arms around my waist, whispering, "Sorry, I upset her. The words were out of my mouth before I realized they'd hurt her."

"Steph, don't worry. We can't pretend like Ron's not gone. This is going to be a big change for her and Rachel. Hell, for all of us."

I felt her nod against my chest, then I felt the dampness of her tears penetrating my t-shirt. I tilted her head back with my thumb to study her beautiful face and removed the few tears from her cheeks with the pad of my finger. The smile I gave was soft and hopefully comforting. Dropping a kiss to her forehead, I took my water and yogurt and headed for the shower.

**SPOV**

Tuesday morning, we awoke to the sound of rain pelting the windows of the balcony.

"Yippee, no running today!" I nearly cheered, I was so happy.

"Babe, there's still the treadmill downstairs," Mr. 'Helpful, Drill Sergeant, Exercise Freak' volunteered.

"I just can't get as motivated to run on that thing; running my tail off and having nowhere to show for it!"

"That's simply another excuse," he said, and I almost caught him rolling his eyes at me.

"So! It's working for me, leave me to it!" I bantered back playfully.

He shook his head and pulled on his work-out clothes before heading downstairs to the gym. The last little look he gave me had me feeling a touch guilty for not joining him, but I tamped that down real quick! I wasn't letting him 'guilt' me into something I didn't want to do in the first place.

As I finished my business in the bathroom and stood washing my hands at the vanity, the dang guilt wove its way into my thoughts again. The exercise was in my best interest. My body was more toned than it had ever been. Carlos' firm, toned, sculpted body was a huge turn-on for me, and while he would never say I'd been fat before, I knew he liked seeing my body in better shape, too.

So grudgingly, I let the guilt win. I emerged from the dressing room in a sexy little exercise outfit. Hey, if I had to suffer through this torture, then he could as well! I couldn't help it if this outfit left little to the imagination…like he needed any help picturing my naked body! He'd seen me naked more in the past few weeks than anyone had in my entire life, including Dickie and Joe. I'd lost all my naked inhibition issues with him. He wouldn't have it any other way, so there was no need fighting it.

When I arrived in the gym, I nearly had an orgasm on the spot. Carlos was facing the windows, looking out onto the beach, while he did full-body pull-ups on the bar I was cuffed to just a few short nights ago. His arms, shoulders and back glistened with a sheen of sweat as the muscles worked to reach the bar's height, before his body fell back towards the floor to repeat the process. I tried to think of a sexier, more erotic, more awe-inspiring exercise than the one that was in front of me right now, and failed to come up with anything. Good God, I was about to spontaneously combust from my lust of this man!

I must have made some sort of noise, probably a whimper considering the state I was in, because he stopped in mid-lift and turned his head towards me. I gave him a finger-wave as a smile broke out across his face, surprise evident in his features.

Holding up my hands in the universal sign of surrender, I said, "Don't make a big thing out of this. You were right yesterday about Thanksgiving. I need to prepare for all the calories. I've never looked this good, and I've worked too hard to blow it on a couple holiday meals. The Christmas cookies and all the sweets start right after turkey day. If I suffer through this, then I can enjoy all that without feeling bad."

"Proud of you, Babe." He walked over to me, shirtless and wearing just those skimpy shorts he works out in. I pushed my hand to his chest.

"Stop. If you come any closer, the only exercise we'll be doing is of the horizontal variety."

"Fine with me," he said as he stepped in closer to my body.

_Focus, Stephanie! Think of all the pies, cakes, cookies and candy you're going to eat in the next month! You can have Carlos for dessert later if you're a good girl now!_

"NO!" I exclaimed, startling the both of us with the severity of the sound. "I _need_ to exercise!"

Carlos doubled over with laughter. I stood and tapped my foot in frustration seeing nothing funny about this at all. I waited, not so patiently, for him to compose himself.

Between breaths he managed to say, "Never…thought…I'd…hear…those…words out of…your mouth!"

"Laugh it up, Batman," I quirked as I stripped the t-shirt off that I donned over my outfit before coming downstairs.

The laughter instantly died and his eyes darkened as he took in the outfit. I had on a barely-there sports bra that had me looking pretty well endowed and a tight, ass-cheeks-hanging-out, pair of boy shorts…oh, and no underwear. That fact didn't escape his notice, I'm sure.

He released a few expletives under his breath while I walked over to the bicycle to begin my work out, completely ignoring him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him comb his hand down his face before returning to the pull up station.

It's a good thing I didn't have to 'drive' this bike I was riding, because when he resumed his routine, I would have no doubt wrecked into the nearest object.

After I completed a couple miles on the bike, I strode over to the treadmill and began running. Carlos took a position on the bike, mainly I think, to stare at me while I ran in front of him on the treadmill. We competed in a visual showdown, which had us both hot and all revved up by the time we shut the machines down.

Carlos stalked over to me with the lethal grace of a panther, and I licked my lips in anticipation of what he could deliver. He threw me over his shoulder and provided me a fine view of his very luscious ass. I nipped at him and he tightened his grip on my legs and swatted my behind. I returned the smack to him in kind.

My little shorts were peeled off me as soon as we hit the door to the bedroom. His fingers were inside me before we arrived in the bathroom and his cock was buried to the hilt within me by the time the water was running in the shower.

He had me pressed against the back shower wall, while the water warmed, working his body in harmony with mine. I dug my nails into his flesh as I bit and marked him with my teeth. We mated like two animals, completely lost in our lust for one another. When we were both satisfied, we took turns washing each other, the afterglow of our mutual satisfaction adding a tenderness and closeness to the experience. We dried off and dressed for the day.

Carlos went to take Julie to school while I finished with my hair and make-up, then made us a light breakfast to eat on the way to the plane.

The flight wasn't too bad, considering we left under rainy conditions in Florida and arrived to snow in Trenton. Good thing Carlos had reminded me to grab our coats before we left. Talk about a temperature shock! Dang, it was freezing, literally, here in New Jersey. We couldn't be heading back south soon enough for me!

Tank picked me up in his strong arms as soon as he got out of the Hummer he had driven to pick us up. He placed me lightly back on my feet, then grabbed Carlos' hand to do one of those complicated handshakes they're so fond of. They slapped each other on the back, and Tank comment on how good we both looked.

"You just missed us, Big Guy, that's all. We're the same people we've always been."

"No, Bomber, you're not. I've never seen you both so happy."

Carlos draped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. "He's right, Babe. It shows. You glow, and with your tan, you've never been more beautiful," he whispered into my ear.

I tapped him lightly on the chest. "If I'm glowing, it's because we've been having massive amounts of sex in the past couple days!"

"Are you complaining?" he asked as he opened the side door of the Hummer for me.

"Of course not, Batman. I'm just saying that's why. You know how I look after I've had sex. Everyone knows I've been getting busy. I might as well wear a sign! Oh Lord, I was going to stop and see the girls at the office. Maybe I should wait."

"Why?" he questioned. "Are you planning on not having sex with me constantly for the next, oh say, fifty years?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Right. That's not going to happen. Might as well face the music today. They'll just have to get use to this look, since I'll be wearing it all the time now."

Carlos laughed as he reached over and belted me into place in the large seat. He dropped a kiss to my lips before hopping into the front seat to discuss business with Tank during our drive. We pulled into the garage a short time later. The snow had slowed the travel time some, but the big, all-terrain vehicle had handled the slick spots with ease.

We were greeted by all the guys on shift when we arrived on five. We visited for a few minutes before everyone got back to work. I followed Carlos into his office, leaving the door open since I planned on leaving as soon as I got the keys to a truck. Carlos grabbed his truck keys out of the top drawer of his desk. He pulled me into him with a grip to the front of my shirt. He kissed me, told me to be careful and that we should leave in the next couple of hours before the weather got any worse. He wanted to return to Miami by late-afternoon. I told him I'd call my parents from my desk, then leave to go to the office and Mary Lou's. I promised to be back within the two hour window, and then we could swing by my parents' place to pick them up before heading back to the hanger.

I completed the call to Mom and headed out. I stomped the snow off my shoes as I made my way into the bonds office. The girls squealed when they saw me. They both commented on how it looked like Ranger was 'taking care of business' in the bedroom department. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as they questioned me about my sex-life with Batman.

When I was not forthcoming with the details, they switched to the gossip that was circulating the 'Burg, including a rumor that Joe had gotten his new girlfriend, an ER nurse from St. Frances, pregnant. _Holy Shit!_ A lot has happened in the few short weeks I've been gone.

"Yep, white girl, word is his momma ain't happy, Terry Gilman ain't happy and Super Cop is mighty surprised!" Lula said around a bite of donut.

I'd exercised my butt off this morning, so I had no problem snagging myself a Boston Crème. Connie told of the latest sick, sexual things she'd caught Vinnie doing in his office, and a few stories about different other mutual people we knew in the 'Burg.

This whole conversation seemed odd to me. I felt completely detached from the life here in Trenton, and ironically, I liked that feeling a lot. Life in Miami was different and relaxing. I wondered briefly if Carlos felt the same about it. It was something we'd need to talk about. Now that I'd gotten a taste of living outside of Trenton, I found I was in no hurry to return to this stressful lifestyle. Sure, I missed my family, friends and the guys at RangeMan, but that's why we had phones and planes, right? I filed these thoughts away for later and told the girls I'd better get going.

Joe was pulling up in his POS police issue as I rounded Carlos' truck. He quickly jumped out of his car and made his way over to my side.

"Hi, Cupcake," he greeted pleasantly, stopping a respectful distance from me.

"Hey, Joe. How are you?" I decided to play along nicely with him. I wanted us to be friends, and didn't want any hard feelings standing in our way.

"I'm good. You?"

"I'm happy, Joe, really happy," I said with a small, forgiving smile. I wasn't saying this to be mean, I just wanted him to know exactly how I felt.

"I can see that, Steph. You look great! Never better. I wish that ring on your finger could have been mine…" he glanced down at my left hand and the beautiful ring Carlos had placed there, then let out a soft breath, "but…I can see you're happier now than you ever were with me. We were just holding each other back, weren't we?"

"Yeah, I think we were. Carlos and I are the right fit. I hope you find a relationship that brings you this same sort of happiness." I spoke truthfully; I did want Joe to be happy.

"Carlos, huh? That sounds funny to me, always see him as 'Ranger' or 'Manoso'. I guess you've found a different type of man than that persona."

"He's really a lot different around people he's closest to. It's hard to explain, but yeah, he's Carlos, though I still see flashes of 'Ranger' occasionally. So, what's this I hear about you being a dad?"

Joe winced. "Has word made it to Florida, already?"

Shaking my head, I pointed my thumb back towards the office. Joe realized my source and nodded his head.

"Yeah, Beth's pregnant. Not exactly what we'd planned, but we're dealing with it. We'll probably beat you to the altar. Have you two set a date?"

"No, we haven't. Honestly, we haven't even talked about it. With his daughter's accident and our life in Miami, we just never have got around to it." Funny, I hadn't realized that fact until now. Things had been going great, and we were so comfortable in our relationship that, in my heart, I was already married to Carlos. The piece of paper was just a legal formality. How weird is that? That I understand this now, while talking to the man, that up until a few months ago, I thought would eventually be my husband. Life is strange.

Joe and I shared a few more minutes of small talk before we parted ways. We exchanged a friendly hug and well wishes to each other. As I drove towards Mary Lou's, I felt a closure and peaceful feeling settle over me regarding Joe. Our talk had been what we both needed.

I was disappointed to find Mary Lou not home. I left a message on her machine and told her I'd call her tomorrow sometime.

When I arrived back at Haywood, I went straight to Carlos' office. Making a beeline for him, I didn't notice anyone else in the room. I plopped myself down on his lap and pulled his mouth into a hot kiss. His hands reached into my hair to hold my lips firmly to him, like there was even a chance I'd pull away. Our tongues battled out a duel, with neither of us caring who the victor was, until I heard the unmistakable sound of Lester from behind me.

"Damn! Bombshell! Give the guy some air, would ya?"

"Santos!" Carlos barked out. "I'm doing just fine without your interference."

My face fused with heat. Oh God, when am I ever going to be more aware of my surroundings? "Sorry. Missed you. Didn't see him sitting there," I whispered as our foreheads rested together. Carlos' eyes were twinkling with laughter.

"I doubt we traumatized him too badly," Carlos returned quietly.

"Not hardly," Lester added his two cents. "I was waiting, wanting to see more!"

Carlos looked around me to pierce Lester with a deadly look. "I can make time to whip your ass, Santos."

"No, I'm good. You're obviously busy right now. Guess I'll come back to finish this paperwork."

"Lester stay," I said as I rose from Carlos' lap. "I interrupted you, I'll leave."

"Babe, you don't have to go. We're not discussing anything that's classified."

"It's okay. I'm going to check email from my cubbie."

"As soon as I finish here with Santos, we'll leave."

I nodded and made my way to the computer. Twenty minutes later, the familiar tingle went up my spine and I quickly shut down the program. Rising from my chair, Carlos helped me into my coat before we called our good-byes to the guys and made our way down to the garage.

Bobby was driving us back to the airport in the same Hummer we'd used earlier. We arrived at my parents' house, and I took a deep, fortifying breath as we walked up to the door and to a waiting Grandma. She was wearing a strapless shirt and very tight spandex shorts. Grandma was all but bouncing up and down in her bright, high-heeled sandals.

"Just remember, you asked for this," I muttered to Carlos as Grandma threw the door open for us.

**TBC**

_So what kind of mischief do you think Grandma's going to get into in Miami? How will Carlos handle it? Will Grandma make him lose his cool? Will Stephanie burn the house down while preparing the turkey? Let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from readers! Thanks!_


	13. Ranger visits Denial Land

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 13-Ranger visits Denial Land

Disclaimer: I'm playing with JE's toys! I only wish Ranger was in _my_ toy box! Oh, the fun I could have!

Author's note: I'm noticing a disturbing pattern in my writing. I seem to have smut in every dang chapter! How's this happening? I don't set out to do it; it just jumps on the page…dang Cuban sex god. Please tell me if you want be to cut it out. I'll try to sweet talk Ranger into keeping lid on the hormones.

Thanks to JenRar, my very gifted Beta and Girliegirl79, for listening to me ramble.

**RPOV**

"Babe, how bad can it be?"

Stephanie laughed softly. "Oh Carlos, you're about to find out."

There are very few things in this life that scare me; the thought of something happening to Stephanie or Julie, an injury that would leave me unable to stay physically fit, and, well, Edna Mazur. I don't know what it is about the woman, but sometimes, okay most of the times, she scares the shit out of me.

The prospect of facing a convicted, trapped, murdering FTA doesn't shake me as bad as that little old woman. And yet, she has so many qualities that I find most attractive and appealing in Stephanie. I'll just have to focus on those similarities over the next couple days.

Mrs. Mazur immediately pulled Stephanie into the house and began peppering her with questions.

"When do we leave? What airline are we flying? How long is the flight? What about your hottie's neighbors? Does he have any feisty seniors living next door? Is the house on the beach?"

Mrs. Plum stepped into the hallway carrying her suitcase. "Mother, calm down! Stephanie, Carlos, she's been so excited ever since I told her of your plans for us to come to Miami."

Frank Plum muttered under his breath, "Woman hasn't shut up since she found out."

I shook Frank's hand when he extended his in greeting. We each picked up the bags assembled next to the door and carried them out to the Hummer. Brown helped us load them into the cargo area. Frank climbed into the last row seat with Brown as I went back to the house to get the women.

We were all settled into the vehicle, with me behind the wheel, when Mrs. Mazur resumed her questions. Only this time, they were directed at me.

"So, my sexy future grandson, is the beach close to your house?"

"Yes, Mrs. Mazur, the house sits directly on the beach."

"Oh c'mon, call me something other than Mrs. Mazur. Makes me feel old. How about you call me Edna, Sex Kitten or maybe Hot Cheeks?"

I caught Brown's eyes in the rearview mirror; he had a huge smile stretching across his face. At my dark look, the smile left immediately.

"Edna will be best, I think."

"Whatever your pleasure, Hot Stuff. Is the beach nude?"

A very unmanly snort came from the back seat, and I flipped my eyes back to Brown. He was fighting the urge to laugh out right. He suddenly became interested in the view out of his window. Smart man. Frank's muttering could be heard, but I couldn't understand what he was saying.

"No, the beach is private, but not nude."

"Well, dang, that means tan lines. I just hate tan lines. Good thing I brought my thong bikini. The lines won't be as bad," Edna mused aloud.

Bobby erupted in to a coughing fit, Frank groaned, Mrs. Plum asked how close we were to the plane and if there was liquor served during the flight, and a glance to my right revealed Stephanie biting her lip tight and tears of contained laughter threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. I began a mental time-clock countdown of when we'd be returning to Trenton with them.

Luckily, the rest of the trip was a safe exchange of small talk. I concentrated on my driving, even though Stephanie had her hand resting high on my thigh. I stopped the Hummer at the base of the stairs to the plane.

Mrs. Plum and Edna gasped when they realized we were flying private. I guess Stephanie didn't tell them. She smiled at me warmly when I cocked an eyebrow in question at her.

"Thought I'd surprise them. They've only ever flown commercial, and that's only been once or twice."

I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't begin to even count the number of flights I'd been on. It would be like trying to come up with a number of times I'd driven a car…unfathomable.

Brown, Frank and I stored the bags in the luggage closet, and then I went to the cockpit to start the engines. When they were humming, I made my way outside to talk with the ground crew, complete the outside pre-flight check and give Brown some last-minute instructions.

I finished the business outside quickly, because after reviewing the weather radar in the hangar's office, I realized we needed to get in the air as soon as possible. A large cell of snow was heading in from the west, and if we took off right now, we'd miss it completely.

Not wasting anymore time, I ran up the stairs and into the plane's main cabin. Hitting the button to begin folding up the stairs, I went in search of Stephanie. I found her mixing a couple of drinks in the small galley.

"Hey, Babe, we need to get off the ground. There's a storm coming, and if I don't get us in the air within the next thirty minutes, we're going to be spending the evening here in Trenton."

"Okay. I'll get everyone in their seats. Would it be alright with you if I let Daddy ride in the cockpit for awhile?"

"That's fine with me, but Steph, the first part of the trip is going to be turbulent. Are you going to be okay back here? I know how you feel about flying, and it's going to be rough for a while. I don't want you to be scared."

"I'll be okay. Mom and Grandma will keep me entertained; we can pop in a movie for distraction if we need it."

"Promise you'll come up front if you need me?"

She leaned forward to press a kiss to my lips as her mouth moved softly against mine in answer. "I promise, but I'll be fine. I trust you."

Wrapping her in an embrace, I breathed in her familiar scent and relaxed for a moment. A movement from the corner of my eye had me turning in the direction of the bedroom.

"Um, Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know your grandma is in the bedroom?"

Stephanie groaned and rolled her eyes. "Grandma, we need to get buckled up. It's time to leave."

"Baby Girl, do you know there's a big bed in here?" We could hear her bouncing up and down on the mattress. _Mental note to self: Have sheets changed on bed._

"Yes, I do. Please come get ready for the flight."

Edna stood in the doorway, looking at both of us with wide eyes. "Are you members of the mile-high club?"

Frank asked Stephanie for a beer, in an effort to diffuse Edna's question, I suspected. I reached into the refrigerator and grabbed his drink.

"Well, are you?" Edna wasn't put off by Frank's effort at all.

"That's none of your business, Grandma!" Stephanie responded, her cheeks already turning red, which of course her grandmother noticed and accepted as her answer.

"So you are then," she said saucily, winking at me. "You really know how to take care of a woman, don't you?" she asked me with a huge smile on her face.

Mrs. Plum gasped, Frank cursed, Stephanie groaned again and I wisely remained silent, letting the blank face fall into place.

Edna took her cue and settled herself on the couch. She located the seatbelt, then secured it around her waist. The click of the mechanism seemed to spur us all into action. Frank and I went forward to the cockpit, while Stephanie and her mom settled themselves in the seats on either side of Edna.

Normally, before Stephanie came into my life, I loved flying during a storm. To do battle with the plane against the weather was a thrill to me, but today, none of that excitement was present. I wanted to get us all safely to Miami with minimal fuss.

The flight was very turbulent for the first thirty minutes; drops of several hundred feet happened more often than I liked. I searched for an altitude where we'd have a smooth ride and finally found one. Frank remained stoic until the worse of the trip had passed.

"You're quite the pilot, son."

"Thank you, sir. I enjoy flying, though I could have done with less turbulence today."

"You did fine. I'm impressed."

We shared some small talk for a while before Stephanie stuck her head in to ask if everything was okay and if we needed anything to drink.

"We're good, Babe. Should be on the ground in about twenty minutes."

She smiled warmly at us, and then went back to the main cabin.

I pulled the plane to a stop at the hangar, right on schedule. Shutting the engines down, I rose from my seat, followed closely by Frank.

Edna jumped up as soon as she saw us. "That was a pip of a ride! Wow, Hot Stuff, it was great!"

Mrs. Plum still looked a little green.

"Mrs. Plum, I'm sorry the flight was rough. The weather conditions weren't ideal for a smoother ride."

"It's Helen, Carlos. I'm never a good flyer, even when the weather is fine. I'll be better when I get on solid ground."

Helen was being kind and I really appreciated her effort. I pressed the button to lower the staircase and said, "Welcome to Miami. Present temperature is 78 degrees, much warmer than Trenton."

"Amen to that," Helen agreed as she made her way to the door.

Frank was already grabbing bags from the storage closet. I assisted him with the remaining pieces while the ladies waited for us at the base of the steps. Stephanie ran over to the black Suburban and opened the back compartment to store the luggage. We had driven the Suburban here so we'd all fit in one vehicle for the ride home.

Stephanie pointed out sights as we traveled to our home. I remained quiet and just listened to her. She seemed to really like it here. My heart was lighter because she was happy in the city that felt most like a hometown to me.

We'd have to spend several weeks a year here in Miami, and a small part of me had been concerned that Stephanie may not like being so far away from the one place where she'd spent her entire life. Though she's talked of how she hates the 'Burg and its lifestyle, she's never moved too far from its borders.

There'd be other worries, compromises and sacrifices we'd have to make during our life together, but for the time being, staying in Miami didn't appear to be a hardship for her.

We pulled into the driveway of the house and I parked at the front door. The Suburban was usually stored in the RangeMan garage, so I didn't have a slot for it here at the house, since all my personal vehicles were present.

"This is it?!" Edna gasped as I helped her out of Suburban.

I nodded my head in acknowledgment. "It looks like a resort! You have great taste and piles of money don't you, Hot Stuff?"

Helen crossed herself and scolded Edna, "Mother, my God, please, mind your manners! Carlos, this house looks lovely. Thank you for inviting us. We've never stayed somewhere so grand. Please excuse my mother."

"She's fine, Helen. I don't offend easily. Let's get inside and get everything settled."

We carried the bags into the foyer as Stephanie held open the door. I grabbed her hand and walked into the great room with her. Frank and Edna were looking out the windows at the beach, and Helen was marveling at the spacious kitchen. She promised to deliver some wonderful meals during her stay.

"Helen, that won't be necessary. Stephanie and I would like you to enjoy your stay here. We don't want you to have to worry about food preparation. That'll be handled by Michelle."

"Who's Michelle?" Helen questioned.

Stephanie answered her mother. "She takes care of the house and prepares meals for us."

"You have people to take care of that for you?!" Edna joined the conversation, exchanging a startled look with Helen.

"Yes, we do," I stated simply. "Stephanie doesn't enjoy cooking or cleaning, and we're too busy with the business matters at RangeMan during the day, so Michelle helps with the household items."

Silence fell over the room as our visitors processed this information. The lifestyle Stephanie and I lead is very different than the generations of 'Burg existence that has been this family's way of life.

"Mom, Carlos and I don't have help all the time. She doesn't live with us, and on the weekends we take care of ourselves. Carlos is a wonderful cook, and I keep the house straightened when Michelle isn't here."

I hated that Stephanie felt she had to 'defend' herself to her mother, but old habits died hard and Stephanie had spent a lifetime trying to please her mother. It was something I hoped she'd overcome in the coming years.

"Helen, I asked Michelle to take care of the meals during your stay so there'd be more free time. Of course, I thought we'd all share in the preparation of the Thanksgiving meal. I'm sure you have family favorites you'd like to serve."

This statement seemed to appease Helen. Stephanie shot me a terrified look and leaned over to softly question me about her part in preparing the meal.

"Babe, we can make a couple of things. It's not hard. We'll do it together."

She blew out a huge sigh and asked her family if they'd like to see their rooms. Before she showed them around, I told her I was going to go pick up Julie from her grandparents. Stephanie gave me a quick kiss with a tight hug. I asked Frank if he'd like to ride along. He agreed and we left immediately.

When we arrived home about an hour later, Helen was in the kitchen with Stephanie and Edna was nowhere to be found. Frank wandered into the kitchen and asked Helen if she'd like to take a walk on the beach. When she agreed and they were gone, Stephanie stared at their retreating forms in shock. I smiled at her surprised expression.

"What's the matter, Babe?"

"I've never seen them do romantic things, like taking a walk on the beach together. It's weird."

I pulled Stephanie into my body and backed up until we were settled against the counter. I nuzzled her neck as she melted her body into mine. We lost time as we simply enjoyed the peace of our embrace. That is, until Julie came bounding into the room.

"You two making out again? Gosh, Dad, you guys are like this all the time!"

"All too soon, you'll be in love with someone yourself, little lady." As I spoke the words to my daughter, a shiver went down my spine. She was growing up too fast, and in the blink of an eye, some guy would be claiming her as his own…that is, if I didn't kill him first for lusting after my daughter.

Stephanie handed me a bottle of water as she and Julie caught up on the day's events. I felt dirty and a bit tired from the long day, so I decided a shower would help restore my energy. I told Stephanie what I was going to do. She looked like she really wanted to join me, but thought better of it and continued visiting with Julie.

The shower had really helped revive me. I missed having Stephanie scrub my back, among other things, but figured I could persuade her later to maybe join me in the hot tub after everyone had gone to bed. I emerged from the bathroom, distracted in my thoughts of what else I might be able to talk my fiancée into tonight.

My guard is always relaxed somewhat in my home, so when I noticed a female form sitting on the bed, I figured it was Stephanie. Upon closer inspection, imagine my surprise when I found Edna Mazur sitting there. Her mouth was hanging open, her eyes bugging out and the contents of my black box were scattered around her on our bed. I stood there frozen to the floor in shock, buck ass naked, and for the first time in my life, I shrieked like a girl. "STEPHANIE!!!!!"

Stephanie came storming into the room like the hounds of hell were chasing her, and stopped dead in her tracks when she took in the scene before her.

"Oh, dear God! Carlos, get some clothes on. Grandma, what the hell are you doing?!" She screeched at us both.

Before I could turn back towards the bathroom for clothes, my mortification reached an all-time high when I saw Helen standing directly behind Stephanie. Helen's face was white as snow, her mouth hung open even further than Edna's, and her eyes were locked on my naked body.

My dick wanted to invert itself, like that was a possibility given my size. But, for fuck's sake, my future mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law were staring at my junk! I could feel my testosterone level drop significantly. I covered myself with my hands and backed into the bathroom, closing the door soundlessly when I crossed the threshold.

**SPOV**

When I heard Carlos yelling from bedroom, I bolted up the stairs two at time, having no idea what could have caused him to raise his voice. It was so unlike him. In fact, I think it was the first time, in all the years that I've know him, that I've ever heard it like that. My heart was pounding in my chest by the time I arrived in the doorway of our bedroom.

My eyes swept the room for him first thing. My mind had played several scenarios in the few short moments since he'd cried out, and none of them even came close to the reality of what I found. If he hadn't been so upset, I probably would have fallen to the floor and laughed my ass off. It was pretty freakin' funny.

My handsome fiancée stood, in all his glory, directly in front of my over-sexed grandmother. Oh, what I wouldn't have given for a camera at this moment.

And Grandma! Oh my God! She'd found the black box! I closed my eyes and prayed for a hurricane to strike at this very moment to wash all this away. When Mom, having just come back for her walk with Daddy, crashed into my back at my abrupt stop, the severity of the situation came full circle. I immediately bolted into action, telling Carlos to put on some clothes and demanding an explanation from Grandma.

I quickly pulled Grandma from our bed, then grabbed the comforter and threw half of it over the contents of the box, blocking the toys from further display.

"Damn! That package is even better than I imagined! You are one lucky girl!" Grandma said her eyes having that glazed over appearance that mine have when I see Carlos naked. _Dear heaven, where was that hurricane?!_

"Grandma, I can't believe you came into our bedroom and snooped around! How could you?!" I demanded. I loved my grandmother dearly, but I felt violated by what she'd done, and I couldn't imagine how Carlos must feel. I was dreading facing him when I was done with her.

"I was curious! Sue me! He's the hottest thing I've seen in years! I'm old, I deserve some excitement. It's not like the men in my life can offer what he's got!" Grandma took a deep breath then continued on, "And it wasn't like I planned on getting caught! He left and I didn't know he was back!" Grandma finished her defense.

"You owe us both an apology. Whatever your reasons, it was wrong to come uninvited into our personal space."

Grandma hung her head remorsefully. "I know, Baby Girl. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry, really, I am. I don't want to embarrass either of you. Let's just forget this ever happened, huh?"

"Okay, Grandma, I have no problem with denying this ever happened." _Lord knows, I've spent lots of time in Denial Land, and right now, that sounded like the perfect destination for this mess._ "But, I'm not sure how Carlos is going to feel about this. Maybe it'd be best if you both went downstairs and have dinner with Daddy and Julie. I'll talk to Carlos, then be down later. Please tell Julie to come get us if she needs anything."

Mom snagged Grandma's arm and lead her towards the stairs before anything further could be said. When they were gone from view, I quickly put the items back in the black box and stored it in the bedside table. I took several deep, fortifying breaths, and then crossed the room to go see how Batman was fairing after this little encounter.

Arriving into the bathroom, I found he'd returned to the shower. From the amount of steam that was filling the room, I wondered if he had the cold faucet turned on at all.

I decided distraction might be just the ticket for this situation, so I quickly stripped off my clothes and joined him in the shower. His eyes were closed, his forehead rested on the marble as the hot water pelted the strong muscles of his shoulders. I slid my hand up his back and kneaded at the knots when I found them. He relaxed under my touch slightly, but he didn't speak, and the tension still hung in the air as thick as the steam that surrounded us. I rested my head against his back and searched my mind for something else to relieve his stress.

An idea immediately came to mind; I dropped to my knees and crawled between his wide-spread stance. When I started kissing my way up from the inside of his knee towards my final target, he broke the heavy silence. "Babe, what are you doing?"

"If I have to tell you, I must not being doing something right."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not in mood right now."

"We'll see," I said huskily as I licked at the tip of his cock.

His body jerked in response when I sucked his entire length into my mouth. His cock swelled, expanding and priming for action. Mentally, Carlos may not be in the mood, but his body, or at least his penis, was completely on board with my idea.

Before long, he gave up resisting my persistence and fisted his hands in my hair, guiding my mouth in a pace set for his pleasure. I rotated one hand around the base of his cock in unison with my mouth.

Oral sex had never been as good with anyone as it was with Carlos. He was delicious, and I just wanted to eat him whole. My other hand traveled to his sac and began tugging and pulling with light pressure. His balls were tightening up in anticipation of release. He was close.

I looked up into his face and saw his eyes had taken on the smoky look they get right before he falls over the edge of his climax. When his eyes looked down into mine, I felt our unique, powerful connection and was filled with warmth. His eyes darkened, and in the next instant, I felt the pulse of his cock as he released himself into my mouth. I swallowed quickly and continued to suck at him hard as he hissed out my name between clenched teeth, never breaking our eye contact.

"Fuck, Stephanie," he groaned as the last of his gift pumped itself into my mouth.

When he had nothing more to give me, I licked him several times from base to tip. His cock is very sensitive immediately following an orgasm, and I love to make him squirm by continuing to stimulate the over-sensitive flesh.

Finally, my playtime ended as he held my head still with his grip in my hair. I rose to my feet, and he wrapped me in a warm, intimate embrace; our slick, wet skin molded us to one another.

Carlos sighed a very 'un-Ranger like' sigh. "I can't believe what happened earlier." He spoke from above my head as he turned us so the water wouldn't be flowing directly in our faces.

"I don't know what to say. Honestly, I don't. I have no idea why she came to our room, nosing around. She wants to forget it even happened."

"Is that possible?" Carlos questioned with a mixture of doubt and confusion.

"Hey, you're talking to the queen of denial here. I can choose to ignore and deny anything!" I joked, hoping to ease some of his misgivings.

"Okay, Babe, I'll take a page from your book and push this all to the back of my mind... the very, very, far back of my mind. I'd like to never recall any of it again," he stuttered as he undoubtedly relived the encounter one last time.

"That's my guy! If I can exercise with you, you can take a trip to Denial Land with me." I smiled up at him and his face broke into an easy smile of his own.

"You never disappoint, Steph."

My stomach took that moment to make a whole bunch of racket about being late for dinner.

"Let's feed the beast now, and later, I'll make this up to you," he promised as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You know you're pretty incredible, right?"

"Who me?"

"Yeah, you. Feeling your lips on me drives me insane."

"Stop! If you don't, we're not going to make it out of here anytime soon."

We dried off, got dressed and made our way downstairs. Dinner went well, as it seemed everyone was all too happy to put the whole incident behind them.

Julie turned on a movie, and Daddy, Grandma and Mom sat down to watch it with her while Carlos and I cleaned up the kitchen. When that chore was done, Carlos went into his office to go over his email and look over a couple of contracts he was taking care of tomorrow. I plopped down in front of Julie on the floor to watch the remainder of the movie.

When the credits rolled, Julie was sound asleep. I got Carlos from his office to come carry her to bed. My parents and Grandma decided to go to bed as well, leaving Carlos and me alone for the rest of the evening.

"Feel like a soak in the hot tub?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't get any wise ideas, Batman. My monthly friend decided to pay me a visit right after dinner." I groaned, wondering how I was going to get through nearly a week of no orgasms.

"Babe, I told you that doesn't bother me."

"Well, too bad, it bothers me. A lot! Yuck! How could you want me now? It's gross."

"It's not gross, Steph; it's a natural process of a woman's body. Have you ever tried sex during your period?"

"No!" I shrieked in alarm, which caused him to smile.

"Okay, calm down. All I ask is that you think about it, alright? We can try the shower first. That way there's no mess. I won't push you on this, but I'd like you to at least consider that possibility." Carlos tipped my head up with his finger to look into my eyes. "I need you, Stephanie. Our lovemaking has become as important to me as breathing."

"I feel the same way. I'm not sure I can survive a week without you inside me."

"Tonight, let's just soak in the hot tub for a while and then go to bed. No pressure and nothing more for the rest of the evening, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan, Batman!"

"Love you, Babe." he breathed against my lips as he pulled me to him for a gentle kiss that turned into something deeper and more fulfilling. We separated, and he rested his forehead to mine briefly before he told me he'd run upstairs and get our robes.

After a long, satisfying soak in the hot tub, Carlos carried my nearly boneless, relaxed body to the bathroom. I took care of my monthly friend for the evening, and as I walked out of the bathroom, he swept me back into his arms. He crossed the room, carrying me tightly as I nuzzled his neck. Carlos settled us gently on the bed, and with our bodies spooned together, we drifted off to sleep.

**TBC**

_So how am I doin'? Are you enjoying? Did you laugh? What other troubles can Grandma get into? The conclusion of the Plum/Mazur stay in Miami is up next week. Please take a moment to review. I really appreciate it, thanks!_


	14. Let's give thanks

**Best Wishes**

by: amkp

Chapter 14-Let's give thanks

Disclaimer: They're not mine. Life's so unfair!

Author's note: Thanks to Jenny, JenRar, my very gifted friend and Beta! Love ya, Babe! Also, thanks to Cara, girliegirl79, who is _really_ into Black Friday. Personally, I think it's crazy, but it takes all kinds! LOL. Love ya, too, Babe! Oh, and apparently, my dedicated reviewers still want more smut! What is it with you ladies? I'm feeding Carlos and Steph protein bars and Gatorade so they can continue to meet your demands! *grin*

**RPOV**

My watch alarm clock woke me from my sex-clouded dreams; visions of Stephanie rising from the ocean water, naked, had me ready for action. I was greeted with a morning wood that could drive stakes into frozen ground. _Cool it, Manoso. She's not going there with you right now!_

I brushed a kiss to the top of Stephanie's head, untangled my body from hers and went to the bathroom. With my workout clothes on, I headed downstairs to do some lifting before I went for a run.

Going over to the closet, I grabbed a towel and my iPod with earbuds. Since we had company, I wasn't going to use the main sound system in the room and wake everyone in the house. I strapped the iPOD in place, turned the music to near deafening and began my stretches. When I was limbered up, I made my way to the bench press station. Setting a comfortable lifting weight onto the barbell, I lay down on the bench and started my first set of reps.

Halfway into the third set of twenty, I felt something brush the inside of my thighs. I nearly dropped the weight onto my chest when I looked down my body to see Edna Mazur standing between my legs, dangerously close to my crotch. I quickly put the barbell back in its stand, ripped the earbuds from my ears and sat up, all in the blink of the eye.

Upon seeing what Edna was wearing, I sent up a pray of thanks that I hadn't eaten anything yet this morning. The sight was not pretty and had my stomach wanting to revolt. She had on a tight tank top, no bra, her wrinkled mid-drift exposed and hot pants that were so snug, she had a camel toe. _Holy Shit, that was unattractive_! I swallowed rapidly in an effort to keep from dry heaving.

"Ah, Edna, what are you doing here?" I knew it was a stupid question, but give me a break, I was fighting the urge to not bolt and run screaming from the room.

"Well, Hot Stuff, I decided I need to get in better shape. I'm not getting any younger, and I want to be more flexible. Do you think you could help me come up with an exercise program?"

My mind raced over possibilities of escape before realizing that Edna was as tenacious as the curly-haired brunette that was currently sleeping, blissfully unaware of my predicament, in our bed. I knew no matter how far I ran, Edna would still be waiting for me when I returned.

_Stay calm, soldier. Give her a task and then haul your ass out of here! _My eyes scanned the room for a piece of equipment that wouldn't be too strenuous for her. The bicycle…perfect.

"The stationary bike would be a good choice. I'd recommend a short two to three mile ride on the lowest tension setting," I volunteered as I swung my leg over the bench then crossed the room to set the machine for her.

She bounded over to me, anxious to get started. When she was settled into a comfortable rhythm, I told her I was going to take off for the beach and my run. _Twenty miles sounded like a walk in the park in comparison to staying here alone with her in that outfit._ She seemed pleased with the bicycle and blew me a kiss as I left the room. I charged outside with the relief of a man granted a last-minute death row pardon. My adrenaline kicked up and I sprinted down the beach.

By the time I got back from nearly a fifteen mile run, I only had enough time to quickly shower, grab some fruit and a bagel, and take Julie to school. I rushed into our bedroom, stripping clothes as I made my way to the bathroom. Stephanie sat up in bed when I came through the door.

"Hey, Babe, I'm in a hurry. Want to come talk to me while I shave and take a shower?"

"Argh, yeah, in a minute," she groggily replied.

I was standing naked at the sink, shaving, when she stumbled into the room, holding her lower abdomen. I stopped and raised my eyebrow at her.

"Cramps. Sometimes I hate being a woman." She went into the small room that housed the toilet and firmly shut the door behind her.

Not sure what exactly to do, I finished shaving, pulled my shorts back on and left the room. I went downstairs, got her a large mug of coffee with extra cream and sugar, a piece of banana bread Michelle had prepared, and two Tylenol tablets, then returned to the bathroom. I started the water in the tub and poured a liberal amount of bath salts in, just as she stepped out and went to the sink to wash her hands.

"Babe, come soak. I brought you some breakfast and coffee."

She settled herself down into the water and heaved a sigh as she began to relax. I handed her the two tablets, followed by her mug of coffee. When she was finished, she laid her head back against the contoured pillow on the edge of the tub.

I jumped in the shower and got dressed in record time. She was in the same position when I came to kiss her good-bye.

"Julie only has a half-day. You don't need to come into the office at all. If you'll pick Julie up at eleven, I'll be home around two or three. We need to find out what your mother wants us to prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow."

"Are you sure we, mainly me, won't burn the house down? I'd really be pissed if something happened to this house!"

I laughed at her worry; her confidence could use a definite boast in the cooking department. "Babe, we'll do fine. Nothing's going to happen to the house."

"I've warned you, so it's not my fault if something goes wrong."

"How do you feel? Any better?"

"Yeah, the warm water and Tylenol are doing the trick. Thanks, never had a man wait on me like this before. It's nice."

I brushed the hair from her face and kissed her on the lips. "Love you, see you later."

"Love you, too, Batman. I'll probably run Julie by Rachel's for the afternoon. Maybe you could pick her up on your way home?"

"Sure, call me and let me know if you do."

"Mmmhmm," she said as she settled back into the water. "Have a good day at work."

Julie was waiting for me in the kitchen. I didn't have time for breakfast now, so I'd take care of that when I got to the office.

**SPOV**

The day passed quickly for me. I took Mom and Grandma grocery shopping, then picked up Julie and dropped her off with Rachel before returning to the house.

We planned out the menu for tomorrow. Carlos and I were in charge of pumpkin pies and a vegetable of some sort. This spoke of our relationship perfectly, dessert and health food.

He arrived home carrying Julie on his back, piggyback style. Carlos had her secured against his back with both arms, careful not to jar her. Her injury was nearly healed and the splint was a dreaded contraption Julie was looking forward to getting rid of. The picture of him playing with his daughter struck a cord in my heart. Who would have thought the tough, bad-ass Ranger could be such a tender, loving father?

"Hiya, Steph," she called from her perch.

"Hi, Jules."

"Where's everybody, Babe?"

"They're all down on the beach. Grandma broke out her swimsuit," I said trying hard to keep a straight face as Carlos grimaced. In his defense, Grandma in her swimsuit was a frightening sight.

After dinner, Carlos decided we should make our part of the Thanksgiving meal. We made steamed green beans with almonds as our vegetable dish, which was fairly easy. Then we started on pie crusts, which weren't.

At one point, I thought Batman was going to lose his cool. He had the crust balled up in his fist and seemed to be looking for a place to throw it, before I stopped him. The crust wouldn't cooperate; it kept tearing every time we tried to transfer it to the pie plates. We remixed the crust recipe three times, changing the flour and water ratio with each mix. Finally, we successfully completed the task. The filling preparation was simple, and in no time at all, okay, it had been nearly three hours since we started the process, two pies where baking in the oven.

Carlos looked around the kitchen, then down at himself before turning his eyes to me. He had a smile tipping up the corners of his delectable mouth. "Babe, it looks like a flour bomb went off in here."

I tried gallantly for several moments to contain my amusement at our mess, but gave up and went into a fit of laughter. Carlos joined me, his deep laugh getting louder when I slapped the counter and a cloud of flour dust covered my face.

"Let's go take a shower before we start to clean this up. Otherwise, we're just going to spread what's on us around more."

"We can't leave the pies!"

"They have to bake for nearly an hour. We've got time." Carlos assured me. I gave one last fleeting glance at the oven, then allowed him to pull me up the stairs and into the bathroom.

When we found ourselves naked, wet and frustrated in the shower, I discovered my need for Carlos was greater than my aversion to having sex during my period. I reached between our bodies to stroke at his massive erection. He sucked in a breath and raised one sexy eyebrow. "You're playing with fire, Babe."

"I know, I want to get burnt," I purred against his chest as I scraped my teeth along his nipple.

"Are you sure, Steph?"

"Geez, yes! I'm dying here. Please!"

He cupped my breast, pulling it up as he bent his head down to suck the tight nub into his mouth. I didn't even try to hold in the long, loud moan. His hand traveled down between my legs and parted my folds. I tried not to think about my 'monthly friend'. It was only difficult for a minute until his fingers were inside me. Once he began his gentle, slow rhythm, I forgot all about it and just enjoyed the pleasure he was building.

"You okay, Babe?"

"Ummhmm, I'm fine. Getting better all the time," I said as I plunged my tongue into his mouth.

The groan he gave vibrated through our kiss. He added a third finger and I went a little crazy. I could feel the orgasm racing through me, and felt the rush of moisture as it came. I forced myself not to think about anything but the intimacy we were sharing. If it didn't bother him, it wasn't going to bother me, I reminded myself.

While I had gave myself the mental pep talk, Carlos moved us back to the seat that stretched across one side of the shower stall. He stood me on the seat, then spread my legs wide to stand with a foot against each wall of the shower. I was thankful for the regular exercise I'd been getting, because I was definitely more limber these days than I'd ever been before in my life.

Carlos stood directly in front of me, with his cock standing proud and tall ready to serve. My mind tried to process how this was going to work. Luckily, Carlos' ever-present ESP checked in.

"Bend your knees slightly, Steph."

He helped me by securing a tight hold on my waist as I did as he instructed. When I bent my knees, he leaned forward and I found myself impaled by his rock hard cock. He buried himself deep within me, then stopped to let my body accommodate his size. I could feel my inner walls stretch to accept him. There was no room left over, as he filled me completely. Finally, he began to move. I settled my arms over his strong shoulders, tunneling my fingers into his hair. He took advantage of his position by latching onto one of my nipples, then the other. Before long, my legs started to tremble from the exertion and from being spread so far apart.

Carlos lifted me off the seat, turned and sat down, all while managing to keep us deliciously coupled together. He tucked my bent knees into his armpits and secured me tightly to his sides with his biceps. He wrapped his arms up and around my back, placing his hands over my shoulders, his fingers digging in for purchase. I became a stationary object, positioned solidly in place by him. His forceful thrusts up into my core were deep, penetrating drives that had me begging for more. I urged him to take me harder, faster, while I held on for dear life, my nails leaving crescent-shaped dimples in his back. He pounded into me, heralding my orgasm as it came in a rush of heat and moisture. Carlos pulled down on my shoulders as he plunged in deeper, then rested his head against my chest as I felt the pulse of his release coat my inner walls.

We sat still for several long minutes, basking in the afterglow of our climaxes. Carlos was the first to recover, placing a kiss to my chest were he rested, then picking up his head to stare into my eyes. Our foreheads gravitated together. He rubbed his nose gently to mine before asking, "So how's sex during your period?"

"Pretty damn good!" I said with a smile.

Carlos laughed, shook his head, then lifted me just enough to free his partially erect cock from my body. I could feel liquid pour out of me, and closed my eyes in humiliation.

"Oh, God," I groaned, "maybe not."

"Babe, quit worrying about this. It's me. I don't care. We're going to get you all washed up."

He grabbed the hand-held showerhead and turned it on, waiting for the water to warm before he placed it between us. The gentle rain carried the mess away as Carlos tipped my head back and allowed the stream to wet my hair. I took it from him and returned the favor. When we were both completely soaked, he stood us up and carried us forward in the shower.

Grabbing the Bvlargi from the shelf, he lathered my body in the wonderful, hypnotic scent, then rinsed me. Next, he shampooed my hair and applied the conditioner I used everyday to control the frizz. While that worked, I washed his beautifully, sculpted body. We finished with a rinse that included several long, passionate kisses as the water ran between our bodies. We emerged from the shower, dried off and threw on comfortable clothes to go clean up the kitchen.

As soon as we stepped from the bathroom, I knew we had a problem. I could smell something burning. I reached out and grabbed his arm. "Carlos! Do you smell that?"

He didn't answer. He just started walking quickly out of the room, with me hot on his trail. When we got to the top of the stairs, we could see the smoke coming from the kitchen. We were halfway down the steps when Mom came charging from the hallway where her room was located, wearing her nightgown and robe.

"What is that burning?!" Mom demanded, concern lacing her raised voice.

Carlos arrived first into the kitchen. He threw the door of the oven open and a wave of smoke poured out, which, of course, tripped off the smoke alarm. As soon as the signal sounded, the phone started ringing and the internal security system's computerized voice started repeating a dead-pan mantra, "Fire. Fire. Fire."

Daddy, Julie and Grandma came running from their rooms as soon as the alarm went off.

"Julie, answer the phone and tell them it's a false alarm," Carlos ordered as he sat our pies on top of the stove, using a towel as a hot mitt.

"Holy crapola! Are you trying to burn this nice house down?" Grandma questioned, wearing a leopard printed teddy with a see-through robe.

Mom grabbed fistfuls of paper towels, saturated them in water and handed them to Carlos. He wiped the inside of the oven and the smoke began to dissipate. The alarm continued to shout its warning.

"Babe, could you shut down the security system?"

I turned on my heel, ran to the panel, and stood still for a moment as I frantically searched my panicked brain for the code. I finally remembered it was a combination of our birthdays, the day we meet and the day we got engaged. On the second try, I was able to silence the annoying little voice and the screeching beep of the alarm.

Tears were threatening to spill as I stepped back into the kitchen. Carlos immediately crossed the room to me and pulled me into his arms.

"I'm so sorry. I told you this was a bad idea."

"Babe, it wasn't your fault. The filling bubbled out over the top of the crust and was burning on the bottom of the oven. The pies are fine. No harm done." He spoke in a calm voice as he rubbed my back in a soothing motion.

Daddy grumbled about Grandma's sleeping attire, saying he was worried about permanent damage to his eyes from the sight. He said he still hadn't recovered from the swimsuit from earlier, and now this 'tiger-print thing' that no woman her age should even own might have caused him to start going blind prematurely. Julie seemed unfazed by all the excitement and said she was returning to bed.

Mom came over and stood next to us. "Stephanie, it's fine. Custard pies almost always run over. If you line the bottom of the oven with foil, it makes it easier to clean up, and if it starts smoking, you can take it out and replace it with new foil."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement as Carlos thanked my mom for the advice.

"The pies look great. You both did a good job. I'm sure they're going to be delicious," she added with a smile.

"If they're not edible, we'll just have ice cream," I rationalized, thinking that a whole pint right now sounded like an excellent idea.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary. Would you like me to help clean up the baking mess?" Mom volunteered.

"No, Helen, we'll take care of it, but thanks." Carlos smiled warmly at my mom.

"Well, good night then. See you in the morning," she said softly as she left the kitchen.

It only took about twenty minutes to clean up the kitchen. By then, the adrenaline from the earlier disaster had completely worn off and I was exhausted.

"C'mon, Babe, let's go to bed. It's late."

Carlos tugged my hand, pulling me towards the stairs and our bedroom. We were snuggled into bed, and as I was just drifting off, he said, "Love you. Let's sleep in and not exercise in the morning."

I turned in his embrace to look at his face, sure I was going to see someone other than 'Ranger' had made the statement.

"Carlos? No exercise? I think the alarm damaged my hearing."

He laughed softly. "One day off won't hurt."

"I like holidays and I love you," I whispered as I gave myself over to sleep.

I could feel a ray of sun warming my face as I slowly came awake. My back was being warmed by a hot, sexy, hard, Cuban body. I twisted slightly and found him still asleep. _Write this down! I'm awake and he's not!!_

Letting this rare occurrence settle in for a moment, I relaxed and enjoyed listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing pattern. I took one of his hands that was draped over my body and began a gentle massage to his palm. His breathing pattern changed, and I knew he was awake. I sighed. He was a light sleeper, and any movement I would have made was going to wake him up. Sneaking up on him, even in sleep, was virtually impossible to a man so highly trained in being aware of his surroundings.

"Mornin', Babe. Happy Thanksgiving."

"You, too, Batman. I've got a lot to be thankful for this year," I said as I continued to deliver a massage up his arm.

"We're both very fortunate to be where we are," he agreed as he rolled to his back.

I flipped around in bed then crawled on top of him to straddle his waist. He looked up at me with hooded eyes, which darkened when I rocked back against his morning erection. I ran my hands down his face and then traveled back to massage at his temples. He let out a long breath as he relaxed into my ministrations.

Carlos was probably the most relaxed and at ease as I'd ever seen him, after I completed an entire body massage. I ended the process with a long, gentle, unhurried blow job that left him spread-eagle on the bed and drifting back to sleep in peace. As I started to get up from the bed to go to the bathroom, he stopped me.

"Babe, that was unbelievable. I don't think I could move right now, even if the house was on fire."

"No problem. The house on fire was yesterday, not today. Mom's cooking today. We're safe."

I could smell the turkey already cooking in the oven. The rich aroma had me suddenly very hungry for breakfast. I made quick work in the bathroom, and when I stepped out, fully-dressed, Carlos was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out the windows at the beach. I gave him a quick hug and kiss before I went downstairs to find something to eat.

The entire day passed easily. We called Valerie and her family, as well as Carlos' family, and took Julie for a short visit to see her grandparents and Rachel between board games and walks on the beach.

I'd never seen Carlos enjoy food as much as he did today and it gave me hope that he could live a little. _Who'd have thought?_ Of course, I teased him about packing on the pounds and all his hard work going down the drain. He told me he wasn't worried, because we'd both be up bright and early tomorrow to work it off with a long run down the beach. _Right, first you have to find me, Batman._ Tomorrow was Black Friday and the only running this 'Burg girl was going to be doing was through a shopping center!

* * *

It was 2:33am when my eyes popped open, and I immediately jumped from the bed. Pulling on my shirt and pants before Carlos even began to stir, when I reached for my shoes, he was finally coherent enough to speak.

"Babe, what are you doing?"

"Shopping. I'm going shopping. It's Black Friday! The greatest shopping day of the year!"

"But it's 2:30 in the morning."

"Right, and if I don't hurry, I'll be late."

"Late for what?"

"The SALES, of course!"

"Babe, we can afford to pay full price. Come back to bed."

"It's not about the price, it's about the hunt!"

"The hunt?" Carlos looked at me with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"Yes, the hunt. I've got to go; Grandma and Julie will be waiting on me!"

"They're going, too?"

"Yes! Now I _have_ to go! Just go back to sleep. I'll see you later today."

Carlos threw the covers back and rose gloriously naked from the bed to walk towards the closet for clothes.

"What? Where are you going?" I managed to squeak out, only momentarily forgetting my shopping high and considering hauling his very fine ass back to bed.

"I'm going too, Babe. There's no way I'm going to let the three of you loose in Miami at three in the morning without someone with you."

"But, why? We'll all have each other; we _probably_ won't get into any trouble." _Give me a break, I have to qualify that. Grandma's coming along…anything could happen!_

"Babe."

I knew what this 'Babe' meant, and if I didn't, the look on his face spoke volumes. Basically, this was Carlos' way of saying, 'Don't argue, it's your grandma. Case closed.'

Of course, my first reaction regarding his demand to come along was, 'No way!', but then I realized that having him with us might work out to our advantage. It also might possibly teach him a lesson about getting involved in a female full-contact sport.

"Ya know, Batman, maybe it would be a good idea for you to come along. We might need protection. You've got your stun gun, right? Some of these women can get pretty aggressive. You can push them out of my way so I can get the deals!"

Carlos raised an eyebrow at me, clearly not understanding exactly what he was getting himself into, but I saw that he'd strapped on his weapons, so I felt good about our chances to get everything we wanted. I grabbed his hand as soon as he finished tying his boot, and yanked him from the seat, dragging him behind me as we headed down the stairs.

Grandma and Julie were already in the kitchen eating a bit of breakfast when we arrived.

"He's going with us?" Grandma asked, a look of pure glee on her face.

I shook my head in acknowledgment, quickly grabbing a paper plate and loading it with some breakfast pastry for myself, fruit, yogurt and a breakfast bar for Carlos, and two travel mugs of coffee, all in less than a minute.

Julie looked at him with a big smile. "Dad, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Julie, how bad can it be? It's just a couple stores."

"Well, actually it's ten, only counting the mall as one," Julie responded as she pulled a folder from the bag she'd sat on the counter. The first piece of paper she laid down was a Google map with each store highlighted. The next thing she brought out was a list of all the stores and each 'special' item they had on sale. The final piece of paper marked each store in order of opening time. She also had all the flyers and sale ads in the folder.

I laughed out right when I saw how organized she was. The Manoso 'strategist gene' had not missed his daughter. Carlos took all this in, looking between Julie and me, trying to figure out what had gotten into us and what exactly he was missing about this whole situation.

"C'mon on, Dad, we got to get going. The first store opens in fifteen minutes!"

We loaded into the Suburban with Julie in the passenger's seat, directing Carlos on where to go. Seven hours later, we arrived home, loaded down with bags and boxes. Carlos looked like he'd been dragged behind a vehicle. His shirt was untucked and he even had a few dirty spots and rips and tears, his hair was disshealved, and upon arriving into the great room, he dropped himself on the couch with a flop. Daddy looked up from his television program to inquire about Carlos.

"What happened to him?" he asked, jerking his head in Carlos' direction.

Carlos decided to answer for himself. "I can't describe it. I've been in war-zones and third world countries that were calmer than the last few hours here in Miami. Twice, I almost called the guys for reinforcements."

I sat down and pulled his feet into my lap. I unlaced his boots, placed them on the floor and gently massaged his feet. He had his arm thrown over his eyes and seemed to relax as I took care of him. He'd been a good sport. Having him along had helped a bunch. Heck, without him, we'd still be out shopping now. He'd dropped us off at doors, carried bags back and forth to the truck and pushed our way through the mass of people. We'd managed to get everything on our list.

Julie happily described the highlights of our trip to Mom before she raced off to her room to call her friends and tell them all about her experience.

Grandma came over to stand next to Carlos. She bent down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. His eyes shot open as he looked up at her.

"You were great, Hot Stuff! I want you to go shopping with me all the time!"

Carlos closed his eyes, groaned slightly and shook his head in a negative fashion. "Next year, I'm sending one of the guys."

**TBC**

_Poor Carlos. So did you laugh during this chapter? I'm working really hard to keep you entertained! Next chapter, the Plums and Grandma go home, I promise! I just wanted to 'play' with the dramatics between Carlos and Grandma a bit more. Hope you don't mind. Please review, thanks!_


	15. Visions to dance in your head

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 15-Visions to dance in your head

Disclaimer: The Plum world, with Ranger *sigh*, is a product of JE's mind. Authors, such as me, just like to take her characters and twist them into what _we_ want.

Author's note: Thanks to the wonderfully talented JenRar. She's an awesome Beta and a terrific writer, check her stuff out! Also, thanks Cara (girliegirl79), for the research from book 14, still shocked about that! LOL.

**RPOV**

Stephanie and I took a nap outside on the pool deck, the gentle, warm breeze from the ocean lulling us into rest. When we awoke a couple hours later, Helen heated up one of the meals Michelle had prepared for everyone. After dinner, we loaded into one vehicle and drove downtown to walk around the boardwalk. Helen and Edna purchased souvenirs for everyone on their list, we took in entertainment from the various street performers that lined the boardwalk area and then we returned back to the house.

On the drive home, I informed everyone that we'd been invited to go boating with my brother, Raphael, for most of the day tomorrow. Julie asked if she could bring her friend, Annie, and I said as long as her parents agreed, she could come along, too. When we got home, we put most of the things we'd need for the trip next to the door before calling it a night.

After setting the alarm and shutting off all the lights, we walked into our bedroom. I really wanted to make love with Stephanie, but I wasn't sure if that was going to happen. She'd let go of her inhibition in the shower, but I didn't know how she'd respond if I started something outside the bathroom. My expression must have given away the mental ramblings on my mind.

"I'll be back," she said with a sexy little smile as she headed towards the bathroom.

Deciding to go ahead and get ready for bed, I walked into the dressing room. I stored my weapons, except for the Sig I kept bedside, and removed my clothes. Pulling the covers on the bed back, I slid naked between the sheets. Stephanie still hadn't emerged from the bathroom, so I picked up the book I had laying next to the bed. I'd gotten about two chapters read by the time she appeared in the doorway.

The picture she made had me closing the book and placing it back on the stand next to the bed with disinterest. My gaze was locked on my beautiful fiancée. She wore a sheer black teddy that fell to mid-thigh and no panties. My cock became a tent pole for the sheets. She slowly made her way over to me, carrying a couple towels, which she dropped on the floor next to the bed.

"Nice," I whispered as I reached out to lightly finger the edge on the teddy.

"I thought of you when I purchased it."

I made an affirmative sound while my fingers snaked under the teddy to run delicately over her smooth mound. "How do you feel about being bare?" I asked, realizing we hadn't discussed this since the night I'd shaved her.

"Actually, I like it a lot, especially when I have to put on my swimsuit."

"I like it a lot, too."

When I leaned forward to bring her bare mound to my mouth, she halted the progress by placing her hand on my forehead.

"Babe?"

"I'm trying hard to not let sex during my period bother me, because honestly, I'm addicted to you, but having your mouth down there now is asking too much, okay?"

"That's fine, Stephanie, I don't want to upset you."

"You're not; I just need to set that boundary."

"Got it. You let me know when it's alright?"

"Sure thing, Batman," she breathed against my mouth as her lips meet mine.

I slowly slid the strap of the teddy from her shoulder. As more skin was exposed, I delivered kisses of welcome to it, until she stood naked before me. I threw back the covers and reached for one of the towels she'd brought with her. I smoothed it flat on the bed next to me. Grabbing Stephanie around the waist, I lifted her off the floor and laid her gently down on the towel.

Leaning partially over her body, I kissed a trail to her ear, then down her neck to arrive at her breasts. I slowly sucked one, then the other, nipple into my mouth. I rolled the nubs with my tongue until they were tightly puckered, and when I blew a breath to dry the moisture, goose bumps popped out along the skin of her arms and chest.

My fingers parted her folds and delved into the warmth. Her back arched up in response as the first groan escaped through her clenched teeth. Curling my fingers slightly, I found her g-spot and she hissed out a breath. A few more strokes to her favorite area brought her to orgasm. The dampness dripped out on the towel when I withdrew my fingers, which elicited a whimper from her. I quickly wiped the moisture off my fingers with the towel before covering her body with mine.

I positioned myself at her entrance, probing gently. Our eyes fixed on one other as I pushed my hardness into her velvety softness in one long slow stroke. I brought my forehead to rest on hers. Her inner channel was so small and tight, that every time I entered her, it squeezed firmly around me. I always tried to give her time to accept my size, allow her body a chance to expand before I moved within her. This self-restraint challenged my resolved more than once. However, tonight, it was easier for me to wait and be patient, to just savor the feeling of her. Tonight, I wanted to set a tender tone to our lovemaking.

Stephanie can read me well now that I've opened myself up and allowed her full access to my life. Most times she liked the pace to be fast and hard, but she seemed to understand, and accept, that wasn't my plan for this evening. She tunneled her fingers into my hair, then kissed me softly on the lips. I pulled almost completely out of her before slowly thrusting back in. She tilted her hips up slightly, allowing me deeper penetration. I moaned and lifted one of her legs, draping it around my waist. The other followed suit, and soon, I was buried to the hilt within her.

I reached out and clasped my left hand in her right, our fingers entwining together much like our bodies were. We set a slow rhythm, enjoying and luxuriating in our love. Completion came to both of us in a whisper, a gentle tide that washed over us, then subsided into ripples. We didn't speak, didn't need to, our connection voicing all of the emotions we were feeling.

* * *

The next morning, we were up early for our run. When we arrived back at the house, everyone was bustling around, getting ready to leave for our daytrip with Raphael. After breakfast, we loaded into the Suburban and headed to Annie's, then to the marina. Raphael was waiting at his slip with a gorgeous blonde that I'd never seen him with before. This wasn't out of the ordinary. I rarely saw my brother with the same woman twice. He was a player, much like Santos back in Trenton. Hell, I'd given him a run for his money at one point in my life. Most women I'd taken out hadn't warranted a second date. That is, until I met my girl from the 'Burg.

"Wow, Raphael, this is quite a boat!" Stephanie greeted him with enthusiasm.

None of the Plums or Edna had ever been on a private yacht, I'd discovered during our drive down here. Of course, living in Miami, Annie had been out several times. And well, Raphael was Julie's favorite uncle; he took her out whenever he could, which wasn't often enough to Julie's way of thinking, as she'd told him countless times.

"Hey, Stephanie! Come aboard, let me show you around." Raphael held a hand out to steady her as she stepped off the deck and into the boat.

We helped Helen on board and I turned to see where Edna had taken off to. I found her talking to a gentleman of about her age in the slip next to Raphael's. I turned to look at my brother, and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Oh, that's George. He's a widower who putters around down here with his boat. He's a character. I see him here all the time."

Edna and George must have sensed that everyone was staring at them, because they made their way over to us.

"Hey, Hot Stuff's brother, do we have room on this big ole boat for one more? My new friend, George, would like to come along with us, wouldn't you, George?"

"Oh, Edna, I wouldn't want to impose," George assured her.

A glance at my brother revealed a tightly contained smile threatening to peek from his mouth. "Hot Stuff?" he mouthed at me, the humor visible in his eyes and the promise that he'd use the nickname at a later date, probably in front of my sisters! I made a mental note to toss him overboard as soon as we were far enough out. He could swim back to shore for all I cared. Maybe that'd be enough to scare the unspoken threat out of his system.

"No, it's not an imposition, George. C'mon, we have plenty of room."

We were all settled on the back patio area of his 51-foot Sea Ray Sundancer as the introductions were made. The blonde's name was Katarina, Kat for short, and she was the typical type of woman Raphael was attracted to. Hot, rockin' hard body, pretty face, long, straight hair, big tits and a small brain. Whatever. I used to date the same type of woman, but now I found the type very unappealing. Stephanie's intelligence and quick wit were a major turn-on for me.

"So, Raphael, what's the name of this boat? I can't read Spanish," Edna inquired as she pointed to the name displayed on the boat, _Manoso's Amante Secreto._

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "She's called Manoso's Secret Lover."

"Very sexy. Must be a family trait," Edna purred as she cast a glance in my direction. I reflexively pulled Stephanie closer to me.

"I don't get it. What's the secret about this boat?" Kat inquired, a look of puzzlement on her face. _Small brain, check._

Stephanie groaned quietly at the airhead's statement, and Raphael just smiled at me with an expression that said, 'Hey, she's not with me for her intellect.'

No one answered her, and Kat gave a nervous little giggle at the silence before removing her cover-up. The reason why my brother was spending time with her became a blatant display. The bikini left little to the imagination, and a look at my brother's dark eyes told the whole story. I shook my head at Raphael's shallowness. I could hear Frank muttering something about where were women like this when he was younger.

Deciding the best course of action right now was to get going, I went to begin the process of untying the boat from the slip as Raphael fired up the engines. Within minutes, we were idling out of the marina, heading for the open water.

I lead Stephanie to the bow of the boat, settling her between my open legs with her back resting against my chest as the wind blew her hair all around. I wrangled the mass of curls with my hands and quickly braided them together. She handed me a rubber band-type holder from around her wrist to secure the end.

Raphael cruised out for nearly an hour. About halfway into the trip, Stephanie laid her head back on my shoulder and drifted off. I loved the feel of the open water. My brother and I grew up on the ocean with our grandfather, who taught us about sailing and boating. I'd never purchased my own yacht; I simply borrowed Raphael's whenever the water called to me.

We dropped anchor and Raphael lowered the jet skis into the water. I told Julie until her brace came off, she couldn't ride. She was bummed out, but Raphael promised to bring her back as soon as she was given the all-clear from the doctor and her grumpy dad. I shot him a threatening look and contemplated if the distance to shore was far enough yet to throw him overboard.

Frank and Helen decided to take one jet ski out, while Stephanie and I took the other. She had woken up when the boat stopped, and was excited to ride with me. Stephanie squealed as we raced around, riding the waves and jumping the wake left by her parents. They returned their jet ski after about twenty minutes, then Raphael and Kat came out. We horsed around with them for a while until Stephanie called a halt. She said her insides were rolling from all the sudden changes in direction. I deposited her back on the boat and asked Annie if she wanted to go for a ride. She decided to stay with Julie, even though Julie said she didn't mind if she wanted to go.

I parked the jet ski back on its lift and secured it in place. Stephanie's stomach growled out in hunger. I laughed softly, "Time to feed the beast, Babe?"

"Apparently," she said sheepishly.

"Let's go to the galley and see what he has onboard."

What didn't he have would have been an easier question to answer. Raphael had stocked up. I grabbed the fruit and vegetable trays while Stephanie pulled out the stuff to grill.

We made a couple of trips, but eventually had everything on the upper deck, and all the items that needed to be cooked on the grill. I noticed that Edna and her new friend were missing from our little party, which caused me immediate concern.

"Babe, where's your grandma?"

Stephanie looked around and shrugged her shoulders. I asked Frank to man the grill while we went to find Edna and George. We headed towards the bow of the boat to see if they were there. As soon as we cleared the main deck, we saw them. Stephanie stopped abruptly and I had to grab her to keep us from falling overboard.

"Holy shit!" she gasped out.

There, before our eyes, were two very wrinkled, very unattractive, very naked, white asses. _Fuck, my eyes were burning!_

"Grandma!" Stephanie called out, which wasn't the right thing to do, because Edna immediately sprang up and I was greeted with full-frontal nudity. I turned so fast, to avoid seeing any more, that I misjudged my position to the railing and fell overboard. When I surfaced, Stephanie was leaning over the side, looking at me with a concerned expression on her face.

"Dear God, Carlos, you scared me to death!"

"Trust me, Babe; this is preferable to where you're standing right now. Sure you don't want to join me? The water's warm."

Stephanie looked back at her grandma, then back at me, chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully. She lifted my t-shirt, which she was wearing as a cover-up, off her body and flung it onto the deck before diving over the rail to land with a splash at my side. I swam over to embrace her as soon as she cleared the surface of the water. We were sharing a kiss when Helen's voice called out to us.

"Are you two alright?" Helen asked us before turning around to see Edna. "Sweet Mary," she said as she crossed herself. "Mother! What in the name of all that's holy are you doing?!"

We heard something about no tan lines before we swam around a little in the water. As we arrived to the dive platform at the back of the boat, Raphael and Kat docked their jet ski.

"Little early for swimming, bro," Raphael joked as he assisted Stephanie up onto the platform.

"It wasn't exactly planned," I stated under my breath, really not wanting to relive the details of our unexpected dip in the ocean.

Stephanie laughed and we all made our way up to the patio area for lunch. Thankfully, Edna and George were fully clothed and on their best behavior after the 'little incident'. The rest of the day passed pleasantly enough. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. It was sunset as we slowly cruised back towards the marina.

I was piloting the boat so Raphael and Kat could enjoy some quiet time before we docked. I have no doubt my brother was pulling out all the stops in order to get Kat where he wanted her later tonight. Wisely, my eyes didn't stray in their direction as I maneuvered the boat through the water.

"Why am I not surprised that you also know how to handle a boat this large?" Stephanie inquired from the seat to my left, where she watched the horizon and the gauges.

"Babe, growing up in Miami, I spent a lot of time on the water. My grandfather loved to boat. He'd take Raphael and me out for the day to get us out of Grandma's way."

"Do you own a boat as well?"

"No. I borrow Raphael's when I want to go out."

"Aren't these things really expensive? How does he afford it? Pay here in Miami must be a lot more than Trenton, huh?"

I laughed at her questions. "Babe, Raphael's one of my partners in RangeMan. I've invested in real estate and he's spent a good chuck of his money on creature comforts. You should see his house and garage. He has more cars than I do."

"Good grief, does _he_ fly, too?"

"Yeah, he wasn't about to let me one up him on something he was capable of learning, so he got his pilot's license about a year after me. We're a little competitive that way."

Stephanie gave a small sigh that all females do when they don't understand the workings of the male mind. She has shopping; I have expensive toys. Sounds fair to me.

**SPOV**

Other than the little 'show' Grandma and George had put on, the day had been really great. It was the longest I'd ever been out on the ocean. I really liked it. There were a lot of things I really liked about Miami. This town was growing on me in a big way, and I dreaded the thought of returning to Trenton. Unfortunately, RangeMan headquarters was there, so I knew we'd have to go back as soon as Rachel was able to take care of Julie again.

We ate dinner with Raphael and Kat the dingbat before heading back to the house. Tomorrow, we'd fly back to Trenton and drop off my family before heading to Ron's house in D.C.. I was nervous about the upcoming dinner at the White House. I had a terrible feeling I'd do something wrong and embarrass Carlos. I tried to practice positive thinking whenever the doubts crept in. It was either that or travel to Denial Land, which was always a favorite for me.

Carlos went to his office to look over some paperwork and emails, while I went upstairs to figure out what I was going to wear in Washington. I stood in front of 'my side' of the closet, staring at the formalwear Carlos had purchased for me. Nothing was saying, 'Wear me, Stephanie!' I tapped my foot in frustration, and nearly jumped out of my skin when Mom knocked softly on the open door of the closet.

I threw my hand over my chest to make sure my heart was still beating. "Mom, you scared me!"

"Sorry, Stephanie, you didn't hear when I called your name the first time."

"I can't figure out what to wear," I whined, unable to stop myself from the annoying pitch.

"Where are you going?"

"The White House," I answered like it was an everyday occurrence, lost in thought about what would be appropriate for the evening.

My mother shrieked, "The WHITE HOUSE! Stephanie Michelle Plum, why are you going to the White House?"

"Carlos has some awards dinner there on Tuesday night that we're attending." The shock of where we were going had worn off, replaced by nervousness instead.

"Louise Giovanni's daughter doesn't have dinner at the White House," Mom exclaimed, obvious pride in her voice.

Well, this was certainly a change of events. I was actually doing something another 'Burg girl hadn't done and it was a good thing. Go figure.

"Mom, I'm only going because Carlos asked me to. I told him I didn't think it was a good idea. No telling what could possibly happen. Good grief, the place is liable to burn to the ground."

"Stephanie, you'll do fine. Carlos will be with you. I'm sure he won't let anything happen to you. He really does love you. It shows in everything he says and does. I had my doubts about him, but he's proven every one of them false."

_Oh my God, I need to write this down! Mom actually approves the direction my life is taking!_

"Thanks, Mom. He's too good for me in so many ways."

"Nonsense, you compliment each other well. Let's find you something to wear to this dinner."

We spent the next thirty minutes picking out the clothes, shoes and jewelry I'd take with me to D.C.. I swear, I think aliens swapped my mom out and put a new Helen Plum in the old one's place!

The expression I must have been wearing when Carlos entered the room caused him concern. "Babe, what is it? You look pale."

"My mom. I can't believe how nice she's been all weekend. She hasn't complained or anything, and she just helped me pick out the clothes for our trip to Washington."

"That's a bad thing?"

"No, it's weird."

Carlos laughed softly. "I think she's not worrying about you as much, and that makes it easier for her."

"Maybe. Oh well, do you need me to pack anything for you to take from here?"

"No, thanks. Everything I need is at RangeMan in Trenton. We'll have to stop by there and grab my stuff before going to Ron's."

"I guess you're going as 'Business Ranger', huh?"

He flashed me a full 200-watt smile. "Not exactly."

"Oooh, are you wearing a tux?!" I thought back to the time I'd last seen him in a tux, while we were body-guarding Brenda. I was sure my heart had stopped, before it had kicked into overdrive at the delectable sight he'd made. _Why did I turn him down that night when he'd offered his bed? Shit, why hadn't someone slapped the hell out of me? _I deserved it. Even now, I'm dumbfounded that I'd told him no and had gone home to Joe Morelli. _Stupid, Stephanie, really stupid! _

"No, Babe, I'll be wearing my full-dress uniform."

_Holy Tastekakes of every luscious flavor! Pass me a new pair of panties!_

My mind tried to picture what he was going to look like. Images floated past, each sending new tingles down my spine, straight to my doodah. Now I had a whole new worry. How was I going to get through dinner without ripping the uniform off his body and having my wicked way with him right there on the table, in front of the President and everybody!?

I was disrupted from my own mental porn movie by the leading man's hands gently shaking my shoulders.

"Stephanie, are you still with me?"

"Huh? What? Oh, God, your dress uniform. Really?"

He nodded his head. _Yep, I'm a goner. _Probably won't even make it to the White House. I'll just dissolve into a puddle of drool before we get there. That, or burst into flames from the lust. See, problem solved. What a way to go!

**TBC**

_End note: Please, bear with me. This is a fictional story. I'm not sure if Carlos technically could wear his dress uniform for this evening or not. But, honestly, just the thought does 'things' to me! So, how many want to 'see' Carlos in full-dress? Other than naked, can you envision a more lust inspiring sight? Let me know what you think! Thanks!~Angie _


	16. Gotta Love a Man in Uniform

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 16-Gotta love a man in uniform

Disclaimer: This is chapter 16 for me. Somehow, I think it differs quite a bit from what JE's book 16 will be, what do you think? LOL. But, this is just my little dream using her characters. *sigh*

Author's note: Special thanks to my Beta, JenRar, for her time and effort. Please note that the descriptions and scenes of this chapter are all figments of my wandering imagination. Carlos' uniform is based on what I found on the US Army website, but I'm not sure what his actual rank or uniform would be so I used an educated guess. Thanks for your understanding.

**RPOV**

Sunday morning greeted us with a beautiful sunrise. Stephanie and I were seated on the balcony, wrapped in a blanket, as the sun rose from the horizon. Come hell or high water, I was going to make my woman into a morning person. Her sigh of contentment vibrated against my chest, where she was snuggled up, and it gave me hope that it just might happen. I tangled a couple of fingers in her riot of curls, which were draped across my stomach. We were silent for a long time, savoring the warmth, the gentle breeze, and the peaceful quiet of the day.

"I want to get married here," she whispered hesitantly, seeming unsure of herself or my reaction to her statement.

"Babe?"

"Here, at the house, on the beach. I want the wedding to be here. How do you feel about that?"

"Stephanie, I'll marry you wherever you want, whenever you want."

"No. This should be a decision we make together."

"You know I love the beach. So do you. I think it's a great idea." I'd been waiting for her to bring up this topic. I didn't want to pressure or push her into the planning, so I decided to see if she was talking 'general' ideas or if she was ready to have a serious conversation about it. "When? Do you have a time frame in mind?"

"It shouldn't be too hot. I hate to sweat."

I nuzzled into her. "I like you sweaty," I growled, licking the delicate skin of her neck and becoming distracted by her taste.

"Carlos! Focus."

"I am completely focused on you, Babe."

"The wedding, please?"

"Right." _Snap out of it, Manoso. Pay attention! _"How about late May or early June? It's warm, but not stifling like it is in July and August."

Stephanie lifted her head off my chest, wiggled around until she was straddling my thighs and facing me. "June sounds nice; maybe the first Saturday?"

"This coming year, or next?"

She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip, tilted her head slightly, and rolled her eyes to the side in consideration. She was deep in thought. A smile broke across my face while I waited patiently for her answer.

"That's less than six months. Can we put everything together that quickly?"

"Babe, I think that's plenty of time." _Hell, I'd move mountains to make it happen._ "Are you wanting this to be a big event or small?"

"Small, definitely small."

"Immediate family and close friends; is that okay with you?" She nodded her agreement and I continued the plan.

"Alright, under a hundred people, then."

"I guess so yeah. That sounds like what I had in mind, but these things sort of snowball once you start going through the guest list."

"We can make it smaller, maybe just family."

"No, we should be able to keep the number under a hundred, even closer to seventy-five, if we try."

"In six months?"

Stephanie blew out breath and stared deep into my eyes. I pulled her closer, resting my forehead against hers. She nodded and I brought my hands up to cup her face as I captured her lips in a kiss that started gentle and flared into more.

She gripped my forearms tightly, scooting her position up on my lap just the right amount. When our centers rubbed together, the fireworks went off. She moaned into my mouth, rocking slightly on my erection. I couldn't stop my hands from finding her hips and helping with the movement.

Things heated up fairly quickly from there. In the cocoon of the blanket, I pushed her panties to the side, finding her wet and ready. I plunged two fingers inside, spreading them in a 'v' shape to stretch the velvety softness of her walls. I lightly touched her favorite soft, spongey spot and she bucked against my hand.

"Easy, Babe."

"I want you, now!" she demanded, reaching between us to free my cock from the silk boxers I'd pulled on before we left the bedroom to come outside. She stroked down my length, then returned to the tip to run her nail around me in a circle. "You're so hard," she purred.

That was it. She'd won and she knew it. Her message and ministrations shot pure testosterone through me. The need to claim her wasn't going to be put off any longer. I withdrew my fingers, lifted her enough to clear my cock, centered her, then slammed us together. She threw back her head with a screech, forcing her breasts forward, right into my face. I bit at her nipple through my black t-shirt, she was currently wearing.

"Stephanie, lift the shirt."

She obeyed my command without question, not only lifting the shirt, but completely removing it from her body. _Perfect. _More than I expected her to do, here in the open, but I wasn't about to complain. Especially when she moved her breast to my open mouth. I suckled her while helping to guide her hips in a slow, pleasure building pace.

Of course, Stephanie was never happy with slow for too long, and soon, she picked up the tempo. She kept the blanket wrapped around us as I took control of our joined bodies, holding her hips tightly as I lowered her and thrust myself up simultaneously. Her first orgasm clenched around my cock, which caused me to stop as she rode it out. She purred and began moving on me again when she'd recovered. Stephanie bent forward to deliver a lick, then a nip, to my nipple, and I surged up into her hard. She gasped at the deeper penetration, and I continued that pattern until we both reached our climaxes.

We were basking in the afterglow, snuggled under the blanket and looking out at the water, when she spoke again. "June. I'm going to be your wife in June. Unbelievable."

"Let's get married in the morning or early afternoon, okay?"

"Why?"

"If we do that, we won't have long to wait through the whole day, and we can leave for our honeymoon early; spend the entire night together. Alone."

"Sounds good to me. Patience isn't my strong suit."

"When that day gets here, I'm not going to be very patient either."

"Is the planning really going to be this simple?" her voice sounding a touched surprised.

"I don't see why not, Babe. We've always worked well together. Our wedding shouldn't be any different."

"You're not afraid I'm going to turn into Bridezilla?"

"Babe."

"Well, it could happen. You should be prepared."

"I'm confident in my skills of persuasion. If you start to go a little crazy, I'll think of something to bring you around," I promised, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe I'll pretend I am, just to see what you'll do."

"The black box will definitely come into play."

She groaned, rolling her eyes at me, then let out a shriek when she noticed her parents and grandma sitting on the pool deck. "Oh my God!" her voice rang out, before she dropped it back to a whisper. "Please, tell me they weren't sitting there while we had sex."

"No. They came out about five minutes ago."

Stephanie slapped at my chest. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Because, we were talking about our wedding. I didn't want to be disturbed."

"But you would have said something, right?"

"Probably," I joked. No way in hell would I make love to Stephanie with her parents, and God forbid, Edna, watching. I might be 'sexually sick', but even I have limits.

"Are you kidding me? Probably?" She made a frustrated sound, hit my chest again and called down a 'good morning' to her family.

They waved back, then the next little problem presented itself to Stephanie. "Um, how are we going to get back into the house without them knowing what we've been doing? I don't have a shirt on, for Pete's sake!"

I quickly came up with a solution. I was wearing my boxers, so I was covered. "Wrap the blanket around you and stand up. You'll be fine."

She did so quickly, and we both turned to head back into the bedroom when we heard Edna called out, "Stephanie, you left your shirt lying by the table there!"

Stephanie gave an embarrassed moan and darted inside as I went to retrieve the shirt.

"Lookin' good this morning, Hot Stuff," Edna crooned.

Helen buried her head in her hands and Frank became extremely interested in the sports section of the paper.

I gave them a wave and wasted no time moving back into our bedroom.

Three hours later, we'd dropped Julie off at her grandparents'. She was spending a couple of days with them and a day with Raphael while we were in Trenton and D.C..

The flight home was uneventful, since the weather cooperated with us. We said our good-byes to Stephanie's family before we headed to Newark and my family's Sunday dinner. Stephanie thought since we didn't have Thanksgiving with them, it would be a good idea. I agreed, and we had a nice visit with everyone before we returned to our RangeMan apartment.

I pushed opened the door, allowing Stephanie to proceed me, then tossed my keys on the hall table. We walked into the living room to watch mindless television before we went to bed. We were cuddled together on one end. Stephanie was settled between my legs and my arms were wrapped around her middle.

"It's quiet here. Too quiet."

"Babe?" I could sense that she wasn't happy about something, but for the life of me, I had no idea what it could be.

"I miss Julie, the ocean and the open design of the house in Miami. I've always loved the peacefulness of your apartment.."

"Our apartment," I interrupted.

"Okay, 'our' apartment," she rolled her eyes as she looked up at me. "But, the house just feels more like home to me."

"Stephanie, do you want to move to Miami? Is that what this is all about?"

She was silent for a long time, and I took the opportunity to examine how I felt about that option. _Would Miami be a good place for us to live? Better than here in Trenton?_ I loved the idea; personally, the only doubt I had was if it was the right move for her. This was her home, always had been. She'd never lived more than thirty minutes from her parents' house.

"Could we live in Miami full-time?"

"Yes," I stated without hesitation. If that's what she wanted, I'd make it happen. We'd have to restructure RangeMan some, but I'd already planned to do that when I asked her to marry me.

I was ready for some time off, and Raphael told me he'd gladly run the business in my absence. Having the company headquartered there would make that even easier for him. Besides, Tank hated the paperwork end that currently fell on his shoulders when I was gone. He preferred being out in the field, rather than caged in an office.

"Really? You'd move RangeMan headquarters to Miami?"

"Babe, that was the plan before I met a curly-haired, wanna-be bounty hunter in a diner several years ago."

"Mom will flip if I leave the 'Burg, and things have been going well with her. This is liable to blow that all to hell." She worried her bottom lip a little with teeth.

"So, we're moving to Miami for good then?"

"Yeah, if it's okay with you, Batman."

"Stephanie, I love the idea. I just want you to be happy. If you're miserable with the change, we can always move back."

"I'm thinking if you're there, that's all that's going to matter to me. Besides, we can always have my parents down. This weekend wasn't too bad, was it?"

If you didn't count Edna finding our black box and seeing me naked, the Friday shopping craziness, the exercise room incident, the nude sunbathing or the obnoxious nickname she was calling me, then, no, the weekend was great. Just great, I mentally reasoned to myself.

"Grandma's a handful sometimes, I know," she agreed, practicing the 'ESP' trick I used, which she found so annoying.

I nodded my head, causing her to laugh. "Maybe they could stay somewhere else when they're in town."

"That's an idea," she said with a smirk. "Okay, we're moving to Miami. Wow, we've made a lot of big decisions today!"

"I know. Proud of you, Babe."

"Me, too, but they all feel like the right ones, so that makes it really easy. Want to hear another one?"

"Sure, hit me."

"I think we should go to bed. We could celebrate our newest decision just like we did earlier with the wedding plans."

She attempted to raise an eyebrow, failed, and ended up wearing a surprised expression on her face with both eyebrows raised and eyes wide.

Laughing, I gave my consent by picking her up in my arms and carrying her to the bedroom. We 'celebrated' several times before we drifted to sleep.

**SPOV**

I wasn't surprised when I rolled over to find the bed empty. The digital alarm clock blared eight a.m. in bright red numbers. I vaguely remembered Carlos brushing a kiss to my forehead earlier, and telling me he'd be in his office downstairs after his workout in the gym.

I did the whole morning routine, then stood in the closet, trying to figure out what I was going to wear to D.C.. Something comfortable and classy, I decided. I settled on a pair of black linen pants, a light blue-colored cashmere sweater set, and short-heeled boots. I selected a scarf that Connie had given me for my birthday, telling me they were in style again. It draped over my shoulders, and added just the touch of elegance the outfit needed.

One of Ella's famous breakfasts was waiting for me in the kitchen. Briefly, I wondered if she'd consider moving to Miami with us. Her cooking and her company were going to be one of the things I'd miss most. The Merry Men, Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, and my family completed the list. However, I had no doubt this was the right move for us.

Carlos relaxed more Miami. We didn't have all the drama that was the way of life in the 'Burg, and most importantly, Julie had become a big part of our life. We'd gotten used to her being with us, and were really going to miss her when she moved back with Rachel. Living in Miami would allow us to see her a lot more than if we lived here in Trenton, though. All those pluses and I hadn't even gotten around to all the other great things about living down there: the beach, Carlos spending most weekends in his swimming trucks and shirtless and, of course, no snow!

When I arrived on five, I found Carlos' office door closed. I knocked lightly, and with his muffled, "Enter," I slowly opened the door to find Tank with him, going over paperwork.

"Hey, Bombshell, hear you're moving to Miami," Tank greeted. He gave me a quick hug as I walked passed him, heading for my fiancée.

"Morning again, Babe." Carlos brushed a kiss to my cheek after he pulled me down onto his lap.

"Morning, Batman," I said quietly, giving him a squeeze before looking at Tank. "I'm going to miss you, Big Guy."

"Same here, Steph."

"We need to leave soon. I was going to call you when we finished with this last contract. I thought we'd drive to Ron's, instead of fly. Is that alright?"

"That's good with me," I agreed.

Carlos decided we should take one of the SUVs, in case the weather turned bad during our travel. While we drove, Carlos broke the usual 'zone', and we continued our talk about the wedding.

We agreed on eleven a.m. to exchange our vows, followed by pictures and a light, eloquent lunch served poolside. Carlos thought the caterer could set up in the great room, leaving plenty of space on the deck for tables, a band and a small dance floor. He said if he stored one of his cars at RangeMan, then the furniture could be put in the garage in its place.

I thought fresh flowers, just a couple of attendants, simple, casual beach dress for everyone, and cake. A great big chocolate cake with lots of whipped cream icing. Carlos said if I threw in some strawberries, he completely agreed. Since that immediately reminded me of the weekend we became engaged and all the fun we had with the fruit, I thought his idea was the perfect compromise.

The one item he insisted on planning was our honeymoon. I thought we could discuss options, but he wasn't having it.

"Babe, let me do this, please. I want it to be a surprise. I promise, you'll like it, and we'll have fun."

"How long are we going to be gone?"

"At least a month, maybe more."

"Wow! Seriously?"

"Yes. We want to travel. Neither of us has been on a real vacation in years. I say we've earned at least that much time."

"Okay, I trust you. The honeymoon's your deal then."

"I'll take care of everything, even the packing."

I rolled my eyes while I consider that. I'd be lucky if any clothes made the journey with us. Most of the trip I'd probably be naked in bed anyway, so why was I complaining?

"Babe, I smell something burning."

"Am I even going to need any clothes?"

The wolf grin immediately peaked out. "Let's just say, we'll be traveling light."

"I bet."

My attentions turned back to where we were. Apparently our journey had ended, because Carlos was rolling down his window to present his ID to the security guard stationed outside the large, metal gates. We were cleared, and the gates swung open. Carlos drove us towards the house and parked in the circle drive. I sucked in a breath. This place was three times the size of the house in Miami, and it was huge!

"Whoa," I squeaked, "have you been here before?"

"No, though it's pretty much what I expected. He's the Secretary of Defense, Babe. This place fits the lifestyle. It's secure, big enough to entertain and affords privacy for his family."

Carlos came around to my side of the SUV, and opened my door to help me out. We walked hand in hand to the front entrance. Carlos pressed the bell, and we were instantly greeted by a house maid. She showed us to a sitting area while she informed Megan of our arrival.

A pretty, petite woman breezed into the room within minutes, her arms outstretched for an embrace from Carlos.

"Oh, I was so happy when Ron told me you were coming to stay with us, Carlos," Megan spoke with a heavy, southern accent. "You must be, Stephanie." She kept one arm around Carlos as she extended her hand to me. "Ron enjoyed his visits with you while Carlos was at the hospital." She smiled warmly at me before asking Carlos how he was feeling and if he'd fully recovered from his injuries.

Carlos assured her he was one hundred percent recovered and felt great. We enjoyed a friendly conversation for a good thirty minutes before she showed us to our room; our 'suite' would be a more accurate description.

It included a large bedroom and bathroom, plus a living area where several pieces of furniture were nicely arranged and a desk with a computer workstation sat in the far corner of the room. It was all very tastefully decorated, with a homey feel, not the stuffiness I'd expected when we drove up to the house.

Megan and Ron had meetings all day, and their children were at school, so Carlos offered to show me around Washington. We spent the day sightseeing, taking in all the places I'd never seen before. We had lunch at one of Carlos' favorite Japanese restaurants. He told me he always tried to plan a stop there when he had business in D.C.. We purchased a few Christmas gifts before returning to the Henderson's for dinner.

Ron invited Carlos to go with him in the morning for a run, and then to the office until noon. Before we could discuss it, Megan stepped in and said she'd invited her masseuse and cosmetologist over to pamper us for the day, in preparation for dinner at the White House. She said we'd be so relaxed, we wouldn't even know the guys where gone.

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled warmly at Carlos. I was coming out on the better end of this deal. He had to exercise and go to work, while I got the full treatment! It was going to be just what the doctor ordered, too, because my stomach was already doing flip flops as we got closer to the dinner.

The next day passed quickly. Too quickly. All too soon, it was time to get ready. I was up in our room pulling on my hosiery when Carlos entered.

Of course, I wasn't aware of my surroundings, so when he whispered, "Dios, Babe, you look _sexy_!" I screeched, jerked upright, and ripped a huge hole in the delicate nylon.

"Shit!" I cried out in surprise, clutching at my chest to keep my heart in place. "Make some noise, will you? Ooohh, look what I did!" I winced at the whine in my voice. The nerves were getting the best of me, and I sounded like a two year old.

"Babe, I'm sorry. I thought you saw me when I stepped into the room. Are they ruined?" I held them up and stared at him through the large hole. His face was grim as he inspected the damage. "The dress is long, you don't need them."

"Says you, mister! You expect me to go to the _White House_ not wearing any pantyhose?"

"Sure. You can go without underwear, too. I'll be the only one that knows." He gave a wry smile and lifted his sexy eyebrow.

"Funny, but I don't think so," I glared at him. He didn't find it threatening in the least, since he just continued to smile and bent to give me a kiss. "Don't mess up the make-up!" I warned.

He changed the placement of the kiss from my lips to my forehead, before turning to grab his garment bag from the closet.

The uniform was in the bag, and being the curious individual I am, I _might_ have peaked at it while he was away today. Even then, I was still surprised when he tossed it on the bed next to me and it landed with a thud.

"Good grief! What does that thing weigh?" I questioned as I could feel the bed sink down slightly under the weight.

"I don't know, never paid any attention to it."

I tried to lift the bag and nearly broke a nail for my effort. I decided to let him get dressed in the bedroom, while I finished getting ready in the bathroom.

After I got my jewelry on and rechecked my hair, I added several more coats of liquid courage, in the form of mascara, to my lashes. I was leaned in close to the mirror over the sink, when Carlos entered the room. My glance darted over, through the mirror, to check him out. I was so startled by how handsome he looked, I forgot about the mascara wand in my hand. I jabbed it in my eye as I turned too quickly to face him.

"Oww!" I howled, dropping the wand in the sink and slapping a hand over my injured eye.

Carlos was at my side in an instant. "Babe, are you okay?"

The medals on his jacket clanged together as he grabbed a face cloth, soaked it in warm water and handed it to me. I carefully dabbed at the corner of my eye, trying to get the sting out without completely ruining my makeup. I blinked rapidly several times before my vision began to clear and the pain subsided. I turned around and leaned back against the counter to steady myself as I admired him from head to toe.

The sneak peak earlier at the uniform did nothing to prepare me for the effect of Carlos in full-dress. I strengthened my grip on the edge of the countertop in an effort to control the burst of raw lust and the need to claw the uniform off his strong, hard body.

The tailored fit of the dark navy blue jacket had his shoulders looking a mile wide. He wore a white shirt with a black tie under the jacket. Large gold buttons marched down the front, and braids draped around both shoulders. The entire left side of his chest, and a good part of the right, was covered in medals and bright-colored ribbons. Patches were sewn in various positions down both the sleeves.

He was highly decorated, and while I didn't know the meanings of each item on the uniform, I knew that his life had to have been in danger numerous times to have so many covering the jacket. I promised myself that one day, I'd ask him to explain what they all meant and how he'd earned them.

The jacket ended high on his thighs, and the fit of the pants reminded me a little of his black cargos. They were royal blue with a gold stripe down the side, and were tucked into brightly polished boots. Looking down at them, I could see my reflection.

"_Bet he doesn't leave any streaks when he washes windows."_

I must have blurted out my mental rambling without conscious thought, because Carlos' laughter echoed off the walls of the bathroom.

"You never disappoint, Babe. Out of all the things I thought you might say, that wasn't one of them."

I suppressed a groan, but not an eye-roll, as I reached up to straighten the black tie around his neck.

"Thanks, that's what I was coming in here for. There isn't a mirror in the bedroom."

"You look…," I searched my vocabulary for the correct word, but nothing came to mind. I tried to start again, but my babbled attempt was worthless, except for putting a big smile on his face.

"I take it I pass inspection, since you can't seem to talk." His voice was teasing at first, but turned serious in a blink of an eye. "Stephanie, if you feel half the desire that I feel when I see you, then we're even."

"Carlos, you look absolutely incredible. My God, I'm so proud to even know someone like you, yet alone be planning a future together."

"Don't get too caught up in all this, alright? People let power go to their head, and they forget what's really important."

"It's not that at all. Mainly, it's how much you've done for this country, and since I've never really been around this side of you, I guess I forget about all the sacrifices you made before we met. Men and women like you give us the freedom we so often take for granted."

"Freedom comes with a high price tag, Stephanie. I try not to forget that. I've seen first hand the horrors of war and have been to countries where heavy handed tyrants govern their people without mercy. I've lost friends along the way who aren't forgotten. The price of freedom is very real to me."

"Do you miss the military life?"

"No," he stated firmly without hesitation. "I've fought enough, seen enough, and I want to use my skills only to run RangeMan from now on."

"No regrets then?"

"None. I'm happier than I've ever been. My life is in the perfect place…with you."

He kissed down my neck. Goosebumps broke out down my arms and my nipples tightened as he continued his journey. He stopped to suck lightly at the tender skin at the base where my neck and shoulder met. I moaned and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling his body into mine. I could feel his erection press against my stomach. His hands traveled to the back of my dress and had it halfway unzipped, when there was a pounding at our bedroom door.

"Damn Henderson," Carlos growled under his breath. "He has the worst fucking timing."

We separated and quickly straightened our clothing. I checked my makeup, and managed to add more mascara without stabbing myself in the eye before we left the bathroom.

Ron's teasing voice could be heard from the hallway as he continued to pound on the door. "What are you two doing in there? The car's here, we need to go!"

Carlos yanked the door open without warning, and a tuxedo-clad Ron Henderson nearly fell into the room. "You're timing sucks, man," Carlos stated, reaching out a hand to steady his friend.

Ron's face was the picture of innocence when he said, "Did I interrupt something?"

"Nothing I can't finish later." Carlos looked over to me, flashing the wolf grin and raising one sexy eyebrow.

"Good. Then let's get going. We don't want to keep the President waiting, although the man is never on time. Can't tell you how often I've had to wait on him…" Ron carried on a long explanation as we made our way downstairs and to the waiting limo.

Megan was already waiting for us in the car. Thirty minutes later, we glided to a stop at the side of the White House. My palms were sweating and my nails were biting into the skin of Carlos' hands.

"Babe, breathe. Lighten up the grip. You're cutting off circulation to my fingers."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I should just wait in the car. Yeah, that sounds like an excellent idea. I mean, they got this TV right here and drinks in the little refrigerator..."

No telling how long I could have babbled on, but Carlos kissed my lips gently and reassured me with a soft squeeze to our clasped hands.

"You're going to do fine. Don't go crazy."

"You'd better not get shot!" I immediately returned our usual exchange, which seemed to calm me, some. '_You can do this, Stephanie', _my inner cheerleader rallied as Carlos helped me out of the limo.

After our paperwork was checked by security, we were shown to a small inner room within the White House. Jason Whitaker, the man Carlos had protected during the explosion, was waiting for us there.

Jason greeted us all and thanked Carlos for saving him. He hadn't been able to when he'd left the hospital, because Carlos was still unconscious at the time. Carlos inquired about Jason's recovery and asked if he'd returned to duty.

"Yes, sir, I've been back with the unit for nearly a month," Jason said with a smile, before he and Carlos snapped to attention when the door opened to reveal the President.

"At ease, soldiers. Good evening, Ron, Megan, ma'am," he inclined his head towards me.

"Good evening, Mr. President," Ron spoke up. "Allow me to introduce Ms. Stephanie Plum, Captain Manoso's fiancée."

"A pleasure, Ms. Plum." He extended his hand and clasped mine in a warm, powerful handshake.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. President," I managed to say coherently, even though my mouth was dry and my knees were shaking.

Carlos was presented another medal to adorn his uniform by the President. A couple of pictures were taken by the White House photographer before we were shown to the dining room for dinner.

The evening passed in a blur. The meal was among one of the best I'd ever enjoyed. The dessert, a rich, dark chocolate mousse, was nearly a religious experience. I had to work hard to not let any moans escape.

After dinner, a small orchestra played, which allowed Carlos and me to share several dances. I even got to dance with the President, and managed to not step on his toes or embarrass myself by tripping over my own two feet.

Ron introduced us to the First Lady at one point during the evening, and she seemed just as pleasant and nice as she'd always appeared on TV. The entire night had a surreal feeling to it, and I had to pinch myself several times to make sure it wasn't a dream.

It was after midnight when we returned to the Henderson's large, sprawling house. We said our goodnights to Ron and Megan before going to our room. Carlos pulled me into an embrace right after he silently shut the door to our bedroom.

"Babe, thanks for going with me." He lightly kissed my forehead, then pulled back enough to look me with a smile on his face. "I know you were nervous, but it didn't show. I was proud to have you with me."

"I can't believe we had dinner at the White House and nothing blew up, there was no fire, I didn't spill anything or upset a waiter's tray, neither of us fell asleep during the endless speeches, AND I didn't break any of the President's toes while we danced." _I also managed to not rip that uniform off your sexy body and have my way with you in front of everyone."_

When I saw his surprised expression and raised eyebrow, I realized what I'd done. "Out loud, right?"

He nodded and spoke with humor lacing his voice. "Steph, if the uniform bothers you that much, I can take it off."

Those words sent a flash of heat from my ears straight south to my doodah. A chant of, '_Take it off, take it off'_ began pulsing through my mind and inspired me to strike up another deal with Batman.

**TBC**

_Author's note: Want to 'see' Ranger 'take it off' and the deal he'll make with Steph if he does? Since the handcuff cliffie chapter was reviewed so well, I think we'll do that again. 25 reviews (or more, __!!) and Ranger strips, if not, the next chapter begins with the morning after and no deal._


	17. Stripped

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 17-Stripped

Disclaimer: Not mine,…dammit! Have you heard the plot for Sizzlin' 16? Arghh! What is she thinking?

Author's note: Get comfortable, this is going to be lengthy, LOL. As you can tell, I'm a day late (and more than a dollar short, *grin*) posting this chapter. That's because I didn't have this part of the story plotted and I was completely blocked.

So, I turned to my friends and dedicated readers. I'd like to take a moment now to thank each of them personally, please bear with me- Siriusyellowlab (Susan)-Sorry we could never make connections, hopefully we can sometime, I'd really like that!, foreverbabe (Rae)-Babe, you _do_ have issues, LOL. I seriously considered your idea, unfortunately, I didn't have the 'balls' *grin* to do it, sorry. Barb4psu-you'll notice I used part of your idea, hope you enjoy! Ty939(Amy)-thanks for your unwavering support. JerseySue-Oh, I love _Burn it to the ground_, my favorite Nickelback song. Thanks for the idea! Liz03-thanks for your ideas, you inspired me. 1phantasic(Pam)-I used two of your ideas, thanks so much! Batman's Bombshell (Jen), Babe, thanks, you know I love ya! Girliegirl79 (Cara), you helped me talk this out, as always, my heartfelt thanks, Babe. And, last, but certainly not least, my Beta JenRar (Jenny), what can I say? You saved my ass. I owe you Ranger….cookies, you'll get them, I promise! *grin* Okay, now, finally, the next chapter of Best Wishes, I hope it doesn't disappoint!

**SPOV**

_I could feel the pulse of the music. The sound of the bass keeping time with the beat of my heart, _Nickleback's '_Burn it to the Ground', playing a soundtrack in my head as I contemplated a deal with Batman._

"Babe?"

"Take it off, take it off," I whispered to myself, foot tapping along with the music that only I could hear.

"Stephanie!"

"Huh? What? Ohh!" I stammered, looking up at him with a smile. "Would you 'take it off'?" Sometimes, I even surprise myself with how far I've come in my boldness with Carlos.

The sexy eyebrow shot up in question as the corners of his mouth tipped up. "I could make a deal with you."

I groaned out loud, but I'd already prepared for this. Now all I needed to hear was what a strip tease was going to cost me. I knew at this point I'd pretty much do whatever he asked. No need for him to know how far I was willing to go, though.

"Let's hear what you want first."

Carlos crossed his arms over his chest as his dark eyes searched my face. I could see him mentally reviewing his options. A thousand watt smile slid into place.

"One item, of my choice, from the black box."

A picture flashed before my eyes: the contents of the box and Grandma sitting on our bed. I squashed that image quickly, then tried to remember if there was anything I definitely wouldn't agree to in the box. _Shit, I didn't even know how half of the stuff worked, or what it did._ Carlos was way out of my league in the sexual experimenting department.

The obvious thing that came to mind was the dreaded 'butt stuff'. I blew out a breath. The entire subject grossed me out, and from the few attempts I'd had, it was very uncomfortable. "_That's not true, Stephanie_," I was reminded by my mental Madame. "_When Carlos did that while you were handcuffed, you didn't want him to stop and you know it!" _she continued to scold me. She was right, the orgasm I'd had while his finger was there had been powerful and unforgettable. Plus, I trusted Carlos enough to know that if I didn't like something, he'd stop no matter what, deal or no deal.

"Okay, you strip now, and I'll let you pick one item from the black box."

"You did see all the items, right? You're willing to try any of them?"

I gulped at the serious expression on his face, and a mixture of feelings raced through me: fear, excitement and pure lust. If I looked at this the right way, it was a win-win situation for me. So I sealed my fate by nodding my head in agreement.

Carlos gave me the 'one minute' sign and left the room. He came back carrying a straight-back chair from the living room area. He placed it in the center of the most open area of the bedroom, then he reached for my hand. He pulled me from the bed and settled me onto the chair, placing my hands under my thighs.

"No touching until I say," he huskily spoke the words, before running his tongue along the shell of my ear.

My heartbeat kicked up, and I knew within minutes, it was going to be racing. Carlos turned his back to me and bent at the waist, standing directly in front of me, to begin unlacing his boots.

Many people in Trenton have referred to Joe Morelli as having the 'best ass' in town, but after seeing both of them up close and personal, Joe has nothing on Carlos. Carlos' ass is sculpted, just like the rest of his body, and while it's not my favorite of his assets, it's in the top five, definitely. The view he was affording me now was already 'doing' things to me, and all he'd done so far was remove one boot. _Holy shit, I was in deep this time._

When both boots and socks were sitting to the side, Carlos turned back to face me. As I looked up into his face, I could see that his eyes had darkened to midnight black. He pushed back the sleeves of his jacket to remove the cufflinks at his wrists. He laid them on the side table and returned to his position in front of me. The buttons on the coat were next. He slowly let the jacket slide down his arms, stopping it before it could fall to the floor. He placed the jacket on the small loveseat in the corner of the room.

Again, he stood directly in front of me. My eyes were level with his impressive package, which appeared to be standing proud and tall at attention. I chewed at my lip, and fought back a groan of frustration. _Why had I agreed to this?_ I could have had this uniform clawed off his body in three minutes flat; his strip tease was going to take a lot longer, and no doubt have me begging with need, before it was done.

Next up was his tie. Carlos undid the knot with practiced efficiency and pulled it loose from his collar. He let the material of the tie brush down the side of one on my arms, then he draped it around my neck. He grabbed both ends and used them to pull me towards him for a deep, passionate kiss. His tongue explored the inner recesses of my mouth, then he sucked my bottom lip gently, before pulling away to stand up straight again. One by one, he slowly released the buttons of his shirt, and I was disappointed to be greeted by the white cotton material of a t-shirt, instead of smooth, mocha-colored skin.

As the leather belt was removed from his pants, I remembered a small, black crop being among the many items of the black box. I really wasn't into pain during sex, and hoped that wasn't the item he'd choose. Somehow, I couldn't see Carlos marking and bruising me with a whip.

I gasped when he reached to unfasten his pants next. I expected him to save the 'main attraction' for the final act. Like with the t-shirt, I was disappointed to find black boxer briefs instead of the long, hard mocha-colored erection I expected.

"What? Underwear? I've never seen you wear them!" I complained.

I loved him commando, but I had to admit these tight fitting boxers did _nice _things for his package.

"Babe, when I'm in uniform, I wear underwear." He shrugged his shoulders. "Somehow it seems almost disrespecting to go commando."

"Of course, when I'm in a hurry, you have extra items of clothing on!"

"Hurry? There's no hurry," Carlos teased.

"I noticed," I mumbled under my breath.

I was about to spontaneously combust from lust, my panties were past ruined several minutes ago, and 'Army Ranger' was taking his sweet time getting naked.

Carlos stretched his arms up over his head, granting me a peek at his washboard abs, which elicited a whimper from me. His hands gripped the back of his t-shirt, pulled it off his body, and sent it flying in the direction of the bathroom. My eyes track the flight of the shirt briefly before turning back to his now bare chest.

_Yippee!_

I leaned forward to deliver a lick to his perfect stomach, and was rewarded with a groan. When I instinctively reached out to stroke his cock, he shook his head. "No touching," he reminded me sternly.

As soon as he'd given me that admonishment, he fell to his knees at my feet. Carlos took each of my shoes off, setting them next to the chair. Warmth spread from my ankles, up to my knees, as he slid his hands along my skin, working his way north. Using gentle pressure, he separated my knees slightly, then his head disappeared under my dress.

I could feel my ruined panties being swept to the side with his finger, then his hot tongue licked at my bare mound. I jumped at the sensation, as if someone had jolted me with an electric current. Carlos stroked my inner thigh in a smoothing gesture with his finger, obviously trying to relax me as he circled my clit with persistent pressure. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back while he drove me crazy with his mouth.

Carlos continued to take his time, driving me just to the edge of my orgasm before stopping, waiting, and starting again. By the end, I was ready to cry. I was so close I could almost touch it. _Right there, right there, _I sent the mental message, praying he had his ESP tuned to my station.

Thank God he did.

I free fell into my orgasm, clamping my thighs tightly around his head unconsciously. As I returned from the overwhelming ride, I could feel him pushing back on my inner thighs, giving himself some breathing room. I immediately stopped tightening my thighs, and he rewarded me with a lick to my still-sensitive nub.

Slowly, I could feel him begin kissing his way back down my leg. He nipped at the ticklish spot behind my knee, and I reached out to grab his head to stop him. His hands immediately seized mine. Carlos held my wrists, but left my hands on either side of his face. His hair was mussed from his activity under my dress, and I desperately wanted to smooth the silky strands back into place.

"I'm not done, Babe," he whispered, as his dark, chocolate eyes stared into mine.

He rose to his feet and hooked his thumbs around the waistband of the briefs. With a very deliberate slowness, he peeled the material off his body.

A mental dilemma presented itself to me:_Watch__ his face or look at what I'd been waiting for and wanted inside me with a fierceness for the last twenty minutes._ The Hungarian hormones won out, as my eyes traveled down his muscled chest to arrive at his impressive erection.

I could feel the drool pooling at the corners of my mouth. When he stepped up close enough to me, I captured his cock with my lips, sealing them around him tightly. He groaned, then buried his hands in my curls, guiding me in a gentle rhythm. He allowed me to savor him for several long minutes, before he withdrew from my mouth.

"I love this dress on you, Stephanie, but it's got to go…now."

Carlos lowered one strap of the dress, then the other. I moved forward in the chair enough for him to slide the zipper down, and when he did, the bodice of the dress fell to my waist. He breathed, "You're beautiful, Babe," right before he sucked a nipple into his mouth.

I clenched my teeth together in an effort to keep from crying out. His hands pushed the dress past my hips, and within seconds, it lay at my feet. Carlos picked me up from the chair and carried me to the bed, where he lay me on my back. When he covered me with his body, his warmth, comfort and strength seeped into me. The brush of his cock against my core shot flames of desire all the way to the top of my head.

"Carlos, please," I begged, needing to complete our intimate connection.

As the velvety hardness of him slid into me, I groaned out in pleasure, and he answered with a moan of his own. No matter how many times we made love, the first stroke was always a powerful feeling.

I remembered the very first time we were together, at my apartment in Trenton. Once he was inside me, I knew he'd spoken the truth about ruining me for all other men. Nothing compared to being with Carlos.

He continued with his slow torment, stretching out and prolonging my orgasms until I could do nothing but beg and whimper for release. I fought back a scream as he finally began to drive in hard and fast. Tears of love were sliding down my face as I felt him pulse inside me.

It was nearly two in the morning before we were finally sated enough to go to sleep. The familiar comfort of Carlos' body spooned behind mine drew me into a deep, dreamless rest.

The next morning, after a late breakfast with Ron and Megan, we drove back to Trenton. Well, Carlos drove back to Trenton. I slept. He didn't argue, since he was the one to keep me up all night... I was tired!

When we arrived at RangeMan, Tank came into Carlos' office immediately.

"Hey, Bomber, you're mother's already called three times. Is your cell off?"

I pulled the phone from my pocket, and found it was still on vibrate. I'd placed it in that setting before we'd left for the White House the night before.

The screen showed five missed calls, all from my mother. Long mental sigh. _What could possibly be so urgent? _Oh, she's probably wondering about the dinner last night. Knowing this would be a long conversation, I decided it would probably be best to just drive over to my parents' house. Carlos had two meetings scheduled with clients this afternoon. We'd planned to fly back to Miami around seven tonight.

"Oops, I forgot to turn it off vibrate," I said sheepishly, looking at Tank, then Carlos. "I'm going to run over there while you're in your meetings, okay?"

"Sure, Babe. Do you want to take some of our things back to Miami? We can take one load this time, and another when we come back for Christmas."

"That's a good idea. If you get some boxes up in the apartment, I'll come back early enough to pack them up."

"I'll have Hector take care of that. Call him when you've got them packed, and he can put them in the truck we're taking to the airport."

Carlos brushed a quick kiss to my lips, walked with me to the elevator, then handed over the keys to the Cayenne. I gave him a finger-wave as the doors closed.

Driving through the 'Burg neighborhoods, I reflected on all my memories of this place… the good _and_ the bad. As I pulled to a stop in front of the house where I was raised, a feeling of familiarity came over me. This had been home for many years, and in a way it always would be for me, but I was excited about my future with Carlos in Miami.

Grandma and Mom were standing in their usual position at the door, 'Burg housewife radar in fine working order. Grandma swung the door open as I approached.

"Oh, dang, she didn't bring Hot Stuff with her," she said in a voice loud enough for me to hear.

I fought back a smile, but didn't suppress the eye roll. "No, I left him in meetings at RangeMan."

"Stephanie, come in, I've got a coffeecake in the kitchen." My mother's voice had an edge to it that had my 'Spidey Sense' sounding an alarm.

We were settled around the table with cake and coffee, when my suspicions were confirmed.

"Connie tells me you're moving to Miami."

I tried not to wince at the annoying, accusing tone Mom had used. _Oh, shit, she's really upset if she goes for this subject instead of milking every __detail of the__ White House dinner out of me._

"Umm, yeah, I'm not sure who told Connie, but it's true."

I frantically tried to process how Connie had found out. We hadn't told anyone but Tank, who probably told Lula…mystery solved.

"How can you leave your home, Stephanie?"

"Mom, I love Miami, and with Julie there, it'll be easier for us to stay active in her life."

"With Carlos' business here in Trenton, I thought he would be as good as a man from the 'Burg. I should have known he would take you away, since he's not from here."

"Don't blame Carlos for this! It was my idea to move to Miami, not his."

"What? Stephanie, how could you even think such a thing?! This is home."

"You're right, this will always be home, but I've never wanted this lifestyle. In fact, I've fought it repeatedly. That's why Joe and I never worked out. Carlos understands my need to do something different; he always has."

"I never dreamed you'd leave Trenton. What will people say and think?"

"I'm tired of worrying about it. That's one of the main reasons I want to leave Trenton. This place is like living in a fishbowl, with everyone watching to see what happens next. I hate it!"

Looking at my mother's shocked expression, I realized she'd never truly understood my need to fly. Thank God, for the millionth time, that I met a bad-ass bounty hunter in a diner downtown. He has given me wings.

"Why me?" Mom whined.

"Oh, for Pete's sake, Helen, it's not the end of the world! Let the girl live a little. She's never been cut out for this way of life." Grandma shot a serious look at Mom, and then gave me a wink. "I'd keep that hottie locked up away from everybody if he was mine."

A silent impasse settled over the small kitchen. I volunteered a couple things about my dinner at the White House, but Mom didn't seem that interested, so I stopped talking all together.

After a few more tense moments, I decided to cut my losses and head back to RangeMan to begin packing. I told them I didn't think we'd be returning to Trenton until Christmas. Of course, that statement was met with another guilt-inspiring look from the Catholic-trained master. _Just great!_

The happy feeling I'd been experiencing when I arrived was gone as I drove back to Haywood Street. I fobbed myself into the apartment, grabbed the boxes, and started in the bedroom with the packing.

**RPOV**

The afternoon had been a success. Two new clients were now locked up tight with RangeMan security. The high crime rate in Trenton had been a major consideration when I'd decided to open an office in this location, and that decision had paid off well. The close proximity to D.C., and my parents in Newark, hadn't hurt anything either.

Since Stephanie had come into my life though, things had changed. I had a new perspective, and I couldn't be happier about it. Now another big change was happening in my life, one that would have taken place a couple of years ago, if I hadn't let Connie talk me into that meeting at the diner. RangeMan would have been headquartered in Miami already.

It was going to make life a lot easier for me. For us. All of the partners for the business lived in Miami, and Julie was there. Even before Ron's death, I had been getting closer to my daughter, and now that he was gone, it was all that more important.

The wheels were already in motion to begin the transition; the lawyers had started getting everything together this afternoon. As acting CEO, I'd still have to make several trips a year to Trenton and to Boston, but most of the work could be handled through teleconferences and email.

I found Stephanie sitting on the bed, lost in thought, when I walked into our bedroom.

"Hey, Babe, what's wrong?"

She gave me a weak smile. I sat down next to her on the bed and reached over, picking her up to settle her on my lap. I curled a strand of her hair around my index finger while I waited for her response.

"Mom didn't take the news of our moving to Miami so well."

This wasn't a big surprise. Stephanie had said as much when we talked about the idea of living in Miami full-time. Helen Plum wanted to mould her daughters into replicas of herself. It didn't matter that the younger one had fought tooth and nail against it.

"Is there anything I can do, Steph?"

She shook her head, and quietly said, "No."

"Do you want to tell me about it? Maybe that will help."

Stephanie lay her head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around her. "I thought she wanted to know about the White House dinner, but when I got there, I knew something was wrong. Connie found out we're moving and told Mom. I thought she was finally accepting my life and how I want to live it, but I guess not. She still wants me to be a housewife like her, Grandma and Valerie. Anything less than that, and I'm just one big disappointment."

I would never understand how a mother could continually beat down her own daughter like Helen Plum did with Stephanie. This destruction of Stephanie's self worth was about to reach my limit. I refused to let this woman tear down the progress Stephanie had made in building up her confidence.

Reaching out, I cupped her chin with my hand, and lifted her head so I could look into her beautiful, sapphire eyes. "Babe, you are _not_ a disappointment. If your mother can't see that, then that's _her_ problem, not yours."

Her eyes broke our contact, and she looked down at her lap, as if it held all the answers to her problems. I tipped her head up a little more, and her gaze settled back on me.

"Are you happy with the choice to move to Miami?" I questioned, fully prepared for whatever answer she gave me.

If she wanted to scrap the idea and continue to live in Trenton, we'd make it work. I would like to be closer to Julie, but not at the cost of Stephanie's happiness. The required hours of flight I had to have to keep up my pilot's license current wouldn't be a problem if we stayed in New Jersey. I'd log plenty of time making the trips back and forth to Florida, so we could visit Julie.

"Yes. I want to live in Miami. It's the right choice for us, I think." My Babe was finally standing up to the way of life the 'Burg had tried to pigeonhole her into.

"Proud of you, Babe," I whispered, as I captured her lips in a slow, lingering kiss.

I hated to be the bearer of more bad news and bring her down again, especially after she'd made progress dealing with the confrontation with her mother. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped. We had to talk about this matter; time had run out.

"I got a call this afternoon from Rachel."

Stephanie immediately sat back up. "Is she alright?"

Worry and concern laced the words, and were evident on her face.

"Yes, she's fine. In fact, she's being released from the rehab facility on Thursday. She'd like Julie to move back home on Friday."

I could feel the tension increase in Stephanie, and felt the pain in my heart, as well.

Tears pooled in Stephanie's eyes. "I'm going to miss having her around," she said quietly.

"Me, too, Babe." I'd lost years of time with my daughter, and through the tragedy of Ron's death, I got a taste of what I'd truly missed. "We'll get to see her a lot though; living in Miami will make it easier than if we moved back here."

My usually talkative fiancée fell silent as we finished the packing and loaded everything into the Cayenne. Knowing Stephanie the way I do, I decided a trip to Pino's before the airport was in order. A meatball sub always seemed to improve her mood.

"Where are we going?" She immediately questioned the direction I chose when I pulled out of the garage.

"Pino's, Babe. I thought we'd grab dinner, then fly back to Miami."

The smile she gave me solidified the fact I'd made the right decision.

We were almost finished with our meal, when Morelli walked in with a pretty brunette in tow. I nodded my head slightly at the cop, acknowledging his presence. All eyes in the place turned to our table, then back to Morelli. The 'Burg grapevine was in for a disappointment. There wasn't going to be a showdown tonight. Stephanie had been through enough already today, and I refused to get dragged into an argument with her former on again/off again boyfriend.

Besides, we'd reached a sort of truce Halloween night, and Stephanie had told me about her conversation with Joe earlier this week. His girlfriend was pregnant and Stephanie was mine…forever.

Morelli marched right over to our table, not delaying or allowing the already pliable tension to build in the room. He gave us a sheepish smile. "Steph, Manoso, I'd like to introduce my fiancée, Beth Jenkins."

Stephanie stuck out her hand in a friendly gesture; I nodded to the woman and draped my arm around Stephanie's shoulders. I wasn't threatened at all by Morelli, but thought the gesture was warranted just the same. Besides, touching her always calmed us both.

Beth seemed to be the perfect fit for a guy like Morelli. She'd bear his children, and put her own life on hold to raise a family. She told us she planned on quitting her job at the hospital a few months before the baby was born.

"You are coming to the wedding, aren't you? I know you've been friends with Joe for a long time. It would mean a lot to him if you were able to make it."

I looked at Morelli first, who nodded, then to Stephanie, who was chewing on her lip in consideration. I raised an eyebrow at her and spoke for the first time.

"When is it?"

"Oh, the 26th of December, right after Christmas. We figured since the families were already together for the holiday, it would make it easier. Plus, Joe's Grandma Bella insisted we needed to be married before I started to show. Not like that makes any difference... I think a three-state radius already knows I'm pregnant." Beth babbled on nervously, like she was unsure if she was doing the right thing or not.

"We'll be in Trenton for Christmas, but I'd hoped to return to Miami the day of the wedding. Stephanie and I will talk about it and let you know."

"Um, yeah," Stephanie agreed. "You'll want to send our invitation to our Miami address. We've decided to move there full-time."

I grabbed my wallet from my cargo pants pocket and withdrew a RangeMan business card. "If you send it to this address, we'll get it."

Morelli picked up the card from the table. "Manoso's getting you out of the 'Burg, huh, Steph?"

Stephanie gave Morelli a big smile as she shook her head. "Actually, it was my idea to move, Joe**."**

The happiness in her tone warmed my heart. When she clasped my hand tightly and brushed a kiss to my cheek, I knew that this was the definitely the right choice for us.

"Babe, we should get going. We still have a couple of hours before we're home."

"Yeah, we should get home, too. The game's on in thirty minutes and our pizza is probably done," Morelli said as he slid from the booth.

We said our goodbyes and headed for the Cayenne. I wasn't surprised to see a black RangeMan SUV waiting for us when I pulled to a stop in front of the hanger. Two employees were here to take the Cayenne back to the garage. I _hadn't_ expected to see Tank, Lester and Bobby all climb out of the vehicle.

Stephanie was just as surprised. "What are they doing here? You think something's wrong?"

"No, Tank would have called if there were a problem."

Lester pulled Stephanie's door open and pulled her from the seat. "Bombshell, I couldn't let you leave without saying good-bye! I'm going to request a transfer to Miami. I hear Raphael wants to come up here anyway."

Stephanie gave Lester an eye roll. "That's only because someone," she turned and looked directly at me, and I threw my hands up in the 'surrender' sign, which got a smile out of her, "gave Raphael the idea that we have group sex night up here."

"Shit, we do? How the fuck have I missed that?!" Lester looked between us all, obviously wondering if we had a conspiracy theory against him.

"Dude," Bobby said with exasperation, "do you honestly think Ranger's going to share her?"

I instinctively stepped in front of Stephanie, shielding her from the guys. "Have no doubt, she's mine and I DON'T share!"

Stephanie swatted my back. "Down, caveman."

Her voice was just loud enough for Tank to hear, and his laugh roared out of his body.

I shot my friend a glare that instantly stopped his fit of laughter. Bobby stepped forward with a square wrapped package, and handed it to Stephanie. She tore open the paper with the enthusiasm of a toddler on Christmas morning.

"Aww, guys, it's great, thanks," she said as she showed me a picture of all of us together during my birthday party at Shorty's.

"If you put it next to your side of the bed, I can be the first thing you see in the morning," Santos crooned to Stephanie.

Tank wisely stepped between the loudmouth idiot and me. "Santos!" I barked.

"Shit, man, why would she want to look at you in the morning?" Brown gave Santos a shove, and I made a mental note to give him a raise. "Seriously, we're going to miss you both. We'll have to come down sometime," he told us.

Before I could offer, Stephanie had ESP'd my thoughts.

"How about you all come back with us after Christmas? I could put a good word in for you to get the time off with the boss." She smiled coyly at me, and I had to fight the urge not to roll my eyes as she so often does.

_Great, we'd just __gotten__ Edna out of our __house, and__ now Santos was coming!_ I'm definitely going to need sometime with her alone after they leave! I began forming a strategy in my mind to make it happen. After all, she owed me a night with one of the toys from the black box!

**TBC**

_Author's note: Thanks for hanging with me for this chapter. Please drop me your thoughts in review! I live for them, honest!_


	18. Suspicions

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 18-Suspicions

Disclaimer: Yeah, I'm just playin', they're not mine!

Author's note: Okey, dokey, I'm having fun including my reviewers in the brainstorming of this story! I must say, they have re-inspired my drive to write. So thanks to: AmandaBabe, SapphireJ, siriousyellowlab, tropical screamer, janetfan150, bitte-d'amour, emhmom, ty93, Barb4psu, foreverBabe, Liz03 and concetta33! The votes have been counted and we were one short from a unanimous vote. All but one of you voted yes, they should go! I'll be continuing this little game. I hope y'all are enjoying it as much as me!

Thanks to my wonderfully talented Beta, JenRar (Jenny). She rocks! And, of course, to Cara for reading through the chapter.

**SPOV**

I vaguely remembered our return flight to Miami. I really did try to stay awake, but once we were in the air, my eyelids got heavy. I recalled Carlos carrying me to the Suburban, then into the house. I think I heard Raphael's voice when we got home, making some comment about not having to knock his woman unconscious to get her into his bed, and Carlos' equally biting retort to his brother.

Carlos had stripped me out of all my clothes and pulled the covers up, tucking them around me before brushing a kiss to my forehead. He told me he'd be back in a while, after he talked to Raphael. That was my last memory of the evening.

The brilliant sunshine was streaming in through the windows when I woke. I rolled over to check the clock, and stopped to look around for my fiancée. He was not in the room, although that wasn't much of a surprise. He'd probably been up for a couple of hours already. The man hardly needed more than five hours of sleep a night. I'd never understand it.

When I made my way downstairs, and found a note sitting on the kitchen counter.

_Morning Babe,_

_I took Julie to school and told her about moving back with Rachel tomorrow. She was upset, but I promised we'd spend the entire evening together tonight. When you get to the __office, we__ can talk about a couple ideas I have. Drive safe, and I'll see you soon._

_Love you, C_

The keys to the Lamborghini were lying next to the note. I jumped up and down, doing a happy dance around the kitchen. Woohoo! I'd wanted to drive this car from the first moment I'd laid eyes on it. I couldn't believe he was going to let me drive it for the first time without him! He must really love me... I mean, I haven't got the greatest record with his cars, after all.

I quickly ate my breakfast and ran into the garage. There she sat, the beautiful machine, and she was all mine. I threw the suicide door open and slid into the low-slung seat. It wrapped around my body like a glove. I moved the position of the seat up a few inches so I could reach the pedals easily. I pushed the button to raise the garage door, then turned the key in the ignition. When the engine roared to life, I had to take a deep breath to keep from having a spontaneous orgasm on the spot. I revved the engine once, moaned out loud, then slowly let out the clutch, rolling the car out of its parking spot.

The morning air was still a little on the chilly side, but that didn't stop me from opening the sunroof. I found my favorite rock station on the satellite radio and cranked it up. The trip downtown to the RangeMan building passed entirely too quickly, of course, my foot clamped down on the accelerator might have had something to do with that.

I practically skipped into the elevator and pushed the button for the main office floor. As sad as I was about Julie leaving us tomorrow, Carlos had boosted my spirits by letting me drive the car. When I saw him, I was going to do my best to boost his spirits, too!

As I walked through the maze of cubicles, I was greeted by several of the employees. I didn't have the same relationships with the guys here in Miami that I had with the Merry Men in Trenton, but they were warming up to me.

The guys in Trenton and I just had more history, and they'd watched my relationship with Batman develop from the beginning. These guys had only ever known me as the boss' soon-to-be wife, and weren't as willing to get close to me, for fear of getting on Carlos' bad side. For their own health, that was probably a wise decision. Carlos is nothing if not intimidating. Heck, sometimes he can still scare me with just a dark, penetrating look.

I knocked softly on Carlos' door. I heard a muffled, "Enter," and breezed into the room. His face lit up with a smile when he saw it was me.

"Hey, Babe, looks like you're in a good mood."

"You have no idea what that car does for me..." I shut the door behind me, and with a deliberate sway to my hips, walked towards him. He raised an eyebrow and pushed back slightly from his desk, preparing for me to sit on his lap, but I had other plans. I purred, "You're about to find out, though."

I straddled his legs, and bent my knees a fraction to bring our lips together. He immediately took control of our kiss, slanting my head to the side and plunging his tongue into my mouth. As he skillfully worked his magic, I drifted in the heady feeling of passion that Carlos could bring on with just a simple touch of his lips. I was in quite a state by the time he pulled back from me to allow us both some much needed oxygen.

He sucked in a deep breath when I began kissing my way down his neck. As I ran my nails lightly over his nipples, a growl erupted from deep in his chest, and when I dropped to my knees in front of his desk chair, Carlos gripped the arm rests tightly.

"Babe?" he questioned, while I walked my fingers up his leg, making a beeline for the buckle of his belt and button on his cargoes. I carefully slid the zipper down, not wanting to catch his sensitive skin as I freed him from his pants.

As soon as the tip of his cock leapt out, I sealed my mouth over it and sucked hard. "Fuck!" he barked under his breath, his hips thrusting up in reflex.

I gripped the base of his cock, holding it steady as I plunged as much of him as I could into my mouth, twisting what I couldn't fit in a gentle circular motion with my hand. I took several long sucks down his entire length, then gave all my attention to just the head. I flicked my eyes up to check his reaction.

His jaw looked like it was set in stone, his breath was hissing out between his clenched teeth, and his eyes were so dark I couldn't see the separation between pupil and iris. I reached down to pinch lightly at his balls, which had tightened with his arousal. _Oh, yeah, he was getting close._

"Are you ready?" I asked softly, before licking the slit of his cock.

I took the long, semi-quiet moan he gave as a yes, and began sucking him at a frantic pace. His cock hardened even further, pulsed, then he buried his fingers in my curls, holding me tightly and stopping all motion, as I felt him cum. I swallowed his release, licking him clean when he'd given everything he had.

He bent down to kiss the top of my head as I zipped and buttoned him back up.

Before either of us could say anything, the door to the office came open, and Raphael's head peaked around. "Hey, bro, whatcha doing in here?"

_Shit!_ _Okay, Stephanie, think fast! How are you going __to talk your way out__ of this one?_ Thank God, Carlos had 'heard' my mental ramblings and threw me a bone, in the form of a piece of paper. I quickly scooped up the paper and crawled out from under his desk.

"Got it!" I called happily. I waved the piece of paper, making sure Raphael saw it.

"Thanks, Babe," he said, with just a hint of a smile tipping at the corners of his mouth.

"He dropped this," I volunteered to Raphael.

Raphael looked at Carlos' smug, sated expression, (_where the hell was the blank face when I needed __it?),_to my, I'm sure, red-colored stained cheeks, to my disheveled hair and clothes. His left eyebrow went up in that annoying Manoso fashion, and I knew he wasn't buying our little act. I didn't worry about it, though, because I was off on a journey to Denial Land.

"Don't you knock?" Carlos attempted to sway the conversation to a different subject.

"Man, I all but beat the door off its hinges, and you never answered. I knew you where in here. I guess the paper that fell under your desk must have distracted you, huh? Temporarily impaired your otherwise perfect hearing?"

Carlos refused to be baited by his brother, _thank God_, and shot him a serious look. "What do you want? I'm busy."

"I can see you're _really_ busy, bro," Raphael joked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Raphael, your point?!" Carlos nearly shouted in exasperation.

After years of knowing Carlos, I'd never seen someone who could push his buttons better than his brother. Well, I've gotten _pretty _good at it, too, actually.

"Your ten a.m. appointment is in the conference room. I came to get you. You're late."

Carlos flipped his wrist over to consult his watch. "Shit," he said quietly, looking up into my face. "Tell them I'll be right there. Something urgent came up, but I'm on my way."

"Came, being the operative word," Raphael's voice carried over to us.

"I've just scheduled a meeting with you at one p.m. on the mats. I won't be late," Carlos promised in a threatening tone.

"Better bring your 'A game', littlebro. I'm going to kick your ass," Raphael taunted as he closed the door.

"Carlos, I'm _so _sorry! I forgot to lock the door."

"I'm not sorry, Babe, don't worry about it. Raphael's going to forget all about it later today, I'm going to mop the floor with him."

"Don't hurt him! It's my fault!"

"Steph, it's fine. Raphael and I have practiced an advanced form of marital arts for years. Since I've been living in Trenton, we haven't gotten as much time to work together." Carlos smoothed a wayward curl behind my ear. "It'll help me release some of the tension I'm feeling over Julie moving back with Rachel." A gentle kiss was placed to my forehead before he finished his explanation. "Knowing my brother, he probably planned this little episode for that exact purpose."

"Okay, well, anyway, thanks for giving me the car today. It felt really great to drive it."

"Not a problem, Babe. You can use it as your personal vehicle, if you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I need to get to this meeting. Walk with me, will you? I want to talk about our plans for tonight."

We walked hand in hand down the hall. We planned for both of us to pick Julie up from school and take her shopping, then to dinner at her favorite restaurant. We would end the evening with a movie she'd been begging to see. Carlos took time to give me a proper kiss before he went into his meeting.

I made my way back to my cubbie to see what work was laying in wait for me. I groaned when I saw the completely full inbox. I didn't waste any time getting to work. Since we needed to leave to pick up Julie at two-thirty, I didn't have much time.

With about half the work done, I decided to take an early lunch. When I entered the break room, I found it empty, except for Raphael, who was eating a salad. _What was it with these Manoso men and salads?_

Since I'd left the earlier incident at the Denial Hotel, I breezed into the room like nothing had happened. Raphael raised his eyebrow and laughed softly. If he could practice the same ESP Carlos did, I was going to be so ticked!

"So, Raphael, do you have any ideas what I could get Carlos for Christmas? He's got everything already. What could I possibly get him?" I made my way over to the refrigerator to check the contents, knowing pretty much that the RangeMan idea for lunch and mine differed in many ways.

When I settled down at the table with my turkey sandwich on rye, cottage cheese, an apple and a bottle of water, Raphael was still thinking on my question. Suddenly, his face lit up, and I began to fret. _Maybe this__ wasn't such a good idea. Lord only knew what this man would come up with._

"You should see B," he said with a wicked little smile that did nothing to dissuade my bad feeling about asking him for ideas.

"B?" I inquired, deciding to play along for a while to see where he was going with this.

"Yeah, short for Brittany. She's hot, and the things that woman can do with her mou…, um, well, you probably aren't interested in that, are you?" Raphael's hopeful expression fell when I shook my head vehemently. "Damn. Well, anyway, she owns a company called 'Exposures by B'. I think her work would be something my little brother could appreciate. Shit, her stuff's like every guy's wet dream. It's erotic as hell."

"Raphael, what are we talking about here?" My 'Spidey Sense' was blaring red alert. My future brother-in-law had a sense of humor like a certain Lester Santos I knew from Trenton. Put these two guys together and all hell would break loose.

He gave me the infamous Manoso wolf grin. "I'll get you an appointment and directions, then you can go see for yourself. You really need to see her work. I couldn't describe it accurately."

"You know I'm the curious sort, right? Can't you give me a hint?"

"Trust me, Stephanie; my brother will be blown away if you do this."

See there's the problem: did I trust Raphael? So for my own well being, I delivered the clearly idle threat. "If he doesn't, brother or no, I'll kick your ass myself, Manoso!"

"Dios, Babe, I love it when you talk tough," Carlos whispered in my ear.

I jumped up so fast, he had to move quickly to avoid having me plow into his chin.

"Carlos," I screeched. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just heard your last comment to him, why?"

"Nothing, man. Just givin' my little sis some trouble." Raphael gave me a wink and rose from the table heading for the door, turning back to us before he left. "See you downstairs, hermano. Don't be late."

Carlos shook his head at Raphael, then turned back to me with a questioning expression. I smiled broadly, with my lips sealed tight. My mind began racing frantically over the possibilities of what my appointment with Brittany was going to be about, wondering if I should take someone with me, just in case.

**RPOV**

I could feel an underlining tension in the room after they discovered my presence. Whatever they'd been talking about before I came in had their full attention.

Anything was possible where my brother or Stephanie were involved. In fact, the two of them working together caused a moment of pure panic. I gauged the expression on Stephanie's face, to see if there was any way I might be able to coax an explanation out of her.

The smile she gave me and the stubborn set of her jaw told me all I needed to know. I decided to just keep an eye on both of them and wait. I'm a patient man; eventually, one of them would trip up and I'd know what was going on.

"I'll be down in the gym with Raphael until two. I plan to grab a sandwich afterward, then come get you, okay?"

"Yep, sounds good, Batman. I hope to have my work finished by then. I'd better get back to it, though. I'd hate to have the boss mad at me."

"Not going to happen, Babe." I pulled her to her feet and walked with her back to her cubicle, kissing her soundly before I went downstairs to teach my brother a much needed lesson.

My tension and stress had been left on the mat, I reflected, as the hot, nearly scalding, water from the shower cascaded down my sore muscles.

Raphael and I were evenly matched in our determination to beat the other, and in the end, it had been a drawl. Neither of us could claim a solid victory, which was fine with me. I loved the challenge of matching wits with an equal opponent. My brother, like Tank, knew me well enough to read my body language, and was ready for me when I advanced on them. They were probably the only two people in the company who were capable of besting me.

Shutting off the water, I quickly dried off and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I secured my weapons, put on my boots, and went to get Stephanie. She was powering down her computer when I arrived at her desk.

"Right on time." She smiled up at me as she bent to retrieve her purse from the floor. "Is Raphael alright?"

"Yeah, Babe, he's fine. It was an even fight, neither of us got hurt."

"That's good. I'm ready then, if you are."

I nodded my head, grabbed her hand, and led us down to the garage. We were going to leave the car here overnight and take one of the SUVs to get Julie.

When we arrived at the school, Julie's face broke out in a big smile when she saw both of us waiting for her.

"Hola, carina, how was your day?" I brushed a kiss to the top of her head and opened the back door of the truck to help her inside.

"It was good. Hey, Steph! Didn't get to see you this morning. You were still in bed, and Dad wouldn't let me wake you."

"Sorry about that. The trip from Trenton wore me out."

Stephanie shot me a look that said I might have had something to do with her lack of sleep the night before, but I hadn't heard her complaining. In fact, she'd been begging for more after my strip tease.

The rest of the evening passed too quickly. Julie had smiled all night and seemed to really enjoy our last evening together before she moved back in with her mother. Stephanie treated my daughter as if she were her own, and it warmed my heart.

I'd planned to talk to Rachel tomorrow about an arrangement where we'd have more time with Julie. I was thinking about a trip over her Christmas break. I also planned to help with pick-up to and from school, since Rachel wasn't able to drive yet.

It was very fortunate that Rachel and I had maintained an amicable relationship. I wouldn't want to put Stephanie or Julie through a constant struggle over time with my daughter. This situation worked best for everyone.

We all got up early the next day so we could go out for breakfast before our days started. The girls in my life each had pancakes, lots of syrup, and bacon, while I stuck with a less sugar-filled breakfast. They laughed and rolled their eyes when I ordered oatmeal, fruit, and wheat toast.

After we dropped Julie off at school, we took her things to Rachel's house and visited with her for an hour or so. During that time, we were able to come to an agreement on our time with Julie. Everyone seemed happy with the way we had things scheduled, and we'd be seeing a lot of Julie from now on.

I mentioned a trip during Christmas break. Stephanie tried to pump me for information on where we were going, but I decided I'd keep it a surprise.

Friday night found us blissfully home alone. We grilled swordfish and vegetables for dinner, then sat wrapped in each other's arms as the last lights of the day disappeared.

"Ready for bed, Babe?" I spoke into the top of her head, which rested in the center of my chest.

"Hmm, in a minute," she lazily replied, but she rose from the lounger where we were seated.

Before I could question what she was doing, she'd started to pull off her shirt. _Think I'll just sit here __and watch,_I smirked to myself. Her pants followed the shirt, then the bra, and finally her panties, were lying on the pool deck. She turned to walk away from me, and my eyes focused on her perfect ass.

She stopped, turned, and looked over her shoulder, giving me a sexy, flirty smile. "You coming?"

"Hopefully," I deadpanned, reaching to pull my clothes off so I could join her in the pool.

Stephanie walked to the shallow end and eased herself into the water. I took off for the deep end and dove straight in, swimming underwater until I reached her legs. She squealed when I surfaced directly in front of her. I grabbed her around the waist and floated her with me into deeper water.

The pleasure of being with her in such a relaxed atmosphere was not lost on me. This feeling of complete contentment was something I'd only dreamed about before her, and something I'd thought I'd never find with another person. Life had taught me many a hard lesson, so when times were good, I made the most of them. One never knew how long they'd last.

Her peaceful sigh stirred the lust that was always on a slow boil whenever I was around her. Stephanie must have felt my semi-erect cock brush her back, as she floated in front of me while I rested against the side of the pool. She slid her body down the front of me, capturing my cock between the cheeks of her ass. Immediately, I sprang to full erection.

Slowly maneuvering my hands down to her slit, I used one to open her folds and the other to slowly pushed one, then two, fingers inside her. She let out a low, throaty moan, throwing her head back onto my shoulder and pressing her lips to the side of my neck. I reached up to cup one of her breasts in my palm.

Stephanie reached back between our bodies and gripped my cock with a near painful hold. "Babe," I growled into her open mouth, turning my head to deliver a bruising kiss.

"I want you," she said against my lips, as her brilliant, blue eyes looked deep into mine.

I moved her around so she was facing me, lifted her slightly, then lowered her onto my cock. I was trying to give her body a chance to expand and accommodate me, but she was having none of it.

As soon as the tip cleared her entrance, she wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled herself completely down me. I gritted my teeth as her pussy clenched my cock. Dios, she was so tight!

I couldn't imagine what it was going to be like when I was able to talk her into anal sex. The thought caused me to buck up into her hard. She screeched out and locked her legs tighter around me, lifting her body up and preparing to slam herself back down.

Since she'd taken control of our joining, I decided to let my hands wander all over her body. I lightly pinched and twisted at her nipples, while sucking the delicate skin where her neck and shoulder met.

The motion from her riding my cock created gentle waves around us, which splashed against the side of the pool. I reached down and clasped her ass. She moaned, then threw her head back, lost in the first of her orgasms. While she was in the throes of her climax, I decided to gently prod her puckered hole.

As expected, she tensed. "Easy, Babe, I'm not going to hurt you," I crooned into her ear.

She struggled for a moment, then relaxed. I rewarded us with a deep, forceful stroke up into her velvety softness.

I've always enjoyed anal sex. I knew Stephanie had not had the right sort of partner to initiate the experience, and it had scarred her mind to the possibility that it could be enjoyable, pleasurable, for us both.

This was not something I'd be able to rush or push too fast. I didn't want to scare her or make her feel like it was something to be ashamed of, so I decided that I'd get her used to being touched there often, before I pressed any further with my intentions. I slowly circled the hole with one finger while distracting her with powerful thrusts of my cock and gentle bites to her neck.

She completely relaxed and tightened her inner walls around me. I growled my pleasure into her neck and sucked her skin into my mouth. We rode together until our climaxes claimed us.

The warm afterglow cloaked itself around us. I gently rubbed her back in a circular motion, savoring the feeling of still being buried inside her. Every part of Stephanie's body was touching me in some way; her head was resting on my shoulder, breasts pressed into my chest, legs wrapped around my middle. My arms formed bands around her back, holding her tightly against me, so not even the water could come between us. We were one in every sense.

She broke the silence first. "What's up with the butt stuff, Batman?"

The laugh bubbled out of me; I was so surprised she'd called me on it. I figured she'd run off to Denial Land about the whole subject and just wait me out.

"Babe, I know you're uncomfortable, but it's because you haven't had the right sort of experience with anal sex."

She shuttered against me, and I increased the pressure of the hug we were sharing.

"You trust me, right?"

She nodded into my shoulder.

"I promise, we're not going to do anything you aren't ready for. Just try to keep an open mind and relax. I'll go slowly. I want you to get used to me touching you there, okay?"

Another nod from her.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about between us, alright?"

She nodded again. I shifted my body so I could pick up her head and look into her face. "Our bodies are made for each of us to enjoy. You know that you can touch me anywhere, don't you?"

Her eyebrows shot up in question. "You mean…you want me…to touch…you there?" she stuttered, clearly surprised at what I was suggesting.

I gave her a gentle smile and inclined my head slightly. "It's enjoyable, Stephanie. Did you know stimulating a man's prostrate is similar to when I touch your g-spot?"

"Really?"

"Look, Babe, I told you once I might be 'sexually sick', and I said it because I knew, based on your experiences, you might feel that way. This is one area, along with a couple others, where our 'ideas' differ. Please, let me explore this with you, and if you really don't like it, we'll stop."

"I'm sorry this freaks me out so much."

"Not a problem, Babe." I pressed a kiss to her lips, smoothing her hair back with my fingertips. "I love you, and I just want to see you get all the pleasure I can give you out of our lovemaking."

"It's already pretty incredible. I'm not sure it can get any better, Carlos."

"Trust me, it can."

"I'll try. I am curious, you know."

I nodded and mumbled, "Yes, I know. It's one of my favorite traits about you."

"Okay, well, take me to bed. I'm tired!"

We made our way out of the pool and headed up to our bedroom, where we snuggled together before drifting off to sleep.

We spent every moment of the weekend together. Since I didn't have any Christmas decorations for this house, we went shopping, purchasing everything we needed to deck the house out in a festive spirit. It was something I hadn't done since I was a boy living at home with my abuela. It felt right with Stephanie beside me, though.

Julie even came over on Sunday afternoon to hang ornaments on the tree. This house was quickly becoming a home. Stephanie's touches were everywhere, and it made me smile at the ease in which we were building our life together.

Monday morning, we were up early and running nearly five miles down the beach. This was one area of our relationship where there was still some tension. Though for the most part, I think she just complained because we both got a kick out of it.

It was important to me that she stayed healthy and strong. Now that she was mine, I greedily wanted all the years I could get with her. We showered and took breakfast with us for the drive. We were taking Julie to school before we went to work.

By eight a.m., we'd arrived at the office. We both went straight to our desks and got busy with work. At eleven, there was a meeting scheduled with all the partners in RangeMan, and I decided it was time for Stephanie to be present during these monthly meetings.

She didn't know it, but I'd already transferred several shares of the company into her name. Plus, as my wife and partner, she needed to be aware of all entities of RangeMan, and be up to pace on the structure and growth of the company.

When I walked towards her desk, I noticed Raphael and Stephanie having a quiet, animated conversation again. I might not have her 'Spidey Sense', but my gut instinct was telling me these two were planning something. Undoubtedly, eventually, I was going to be part of it. The not-so-innocent smile she gave me when she saw me approaching only confirmed my suspicions. _What the hell were these two up to?_

**TBC**

Author's note: Ok, just like last week, leave a review and you get to vote on a plot idea! Thanks, as always, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know I'm 'pushing' Stephanie a little with the 'butt stuff', honestly though, I see Ranger as being a bit of an adventurer. LOL! Have a great week!


	19. Testing the Boundaries

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 19-Testing the Boundaries

Disclaimer: Just checked the mail, nope, no papers from JE signing over the rights of Ranger to me. Life's so unfair!

Author's note: I left someone out last week in my thanks, so I'm going to start with her. Batman's Bombshell, Jen, helped think out a section of last chapter and made a couple suggestions for this one. She's a great writer and an even better friend. Love ya, Babe.

I'd also like to thank the anonymous reviewers, who I have no way of thanking personally. I love every single review I get, anonymous or otherwise.

Okay, now for those lovely reviewers that are playing along with my weekly questions: Jersey Sue, hmm, definitely considering your idea. Rangerslee, babe, geez, I've already did handcuffs, LOL! The black box is coming, I promise! Concetta33, a pole? LMAO! Janetfan150, thanks, you'll learn about B in this chapter! OMG, tropical screamer, you take the cake! 'Joe in a body bag' I laughed and laughed when I read that! Barb4psu, hmm, I'll think about it! Foreverbabe, wow, I've really thought about your idea and haven't ruled it out completely yet. And girliegirl79, for your unwavering support.

Extra special thanks to my speedy, thorough and talented Beta, JenRar!

**SPOV**

Raphael had slipped me a piece of paper with an address and appointment time at Brittany's for later today. I used all my interrogating skills to pump him for any information regarding what exactly Brittany did for a living, but I got nada. Not a damn thing.

I added stubbornness to the long list of common traits between the two brothers. Argh! I stomped my foot down hard on the floor, and struck my knee on the desk. _Oww!_ When I looked up, Carlos was standing there, eyebrow arched in question. I gave him a big smile while I rubbed my sore knee.

"Babe? Raphael? Something you two want to tell me?"

"Not me, bro. My life's a dead bore," Raphael responded.

I didn't even attempt to hold back an eye roll or a snort of disbelief. The slight shake of Carlos' head told me he wasn't buying Raphael's obvious exaggeration either.

"What about you, Babe? Your life a bore, too?"

This playful side of Carlos was very prevalent here in Miami; he wasn't as tense and serious as he was when we'd lived in Trenton. I tapped my fingernail thoughtfully against my chin, deciding to bait him a bit.

"Oh, I don't know. It's been kind of quiet."

Carlos leaned down, tucked a curl behind my ear, and spoke in a whisper. "Quiet? Not hardly. I'm sure the neighbors heard you this morning." He laughed softly before straightening back up.

Mr. Funny Guy looked pretty proud of himself, and I felt warmth flooding my cheeks. _Hey! Cut me some slack here! If you were getting Carlos-__induced orgasms__ on a regular basis, you'd be hard pressed to stay silent, too!_

"Are you two finished? We have a meeting to get to. Carlos, you don't want to start a trend of being late, do you?"

Carlos shot a dark look at his brother. Raphael chose to cut his losses and leave quickly, but not before he flashed a big, toothy smile at Carlos.

"You better get going, Batman," I urged, turning back to my computer.

"You're coming, too, Babe."

"Why? Isn't this a meeting for all the partners?"

"Yes, and I think it's time you sat in on them. I have controlling interest of the company. As my wife,you should know what's going on. Plus, I've transferred several individual shares into your name."

I let him pull me slowly to my feet. "We should probably talk about this sometime soon, huh?"

"Yes, Stephanie, we should. There are several things you need to be aware of in case anything should happen to me."

A tingle of fear ran down my spine at the thought of losing Carlos. That emotion overrode the touch of anger I had with him for purchasing stock in my name without my knowledge. That was _definitely_ a discussion for later.

"I wish you had told me about the shares," I said firmly.

"It's not a big thing, Babe," he defended.

"It is to me, Carlos. We'll talk about it later."

"Later is fine, but please remember, you're going to be my wife and everything I have will be yours, so a few shares in your name is nothing to be upset about."

I nodded my head, effectively ending the conversation. I didn't want to continue this discussion on the main office floor of RangeMan. As we walked towards the conference room, I reflected on what a difference a year makes.

Last year at this time, I was worried about making my rent payment and keeping myself in donuts, peanut butter and a POS car. Now, I was taking private planes, meeting the President of the United States, driving a freakin' Lamborghini, having mind-blowing sex daily, and if that wasn't enough, engaged to a rich, sinfully handsome, Cuban Batman! Stephanie Plum's life had taken an upswing, no doubt about it!

It was time to put on my big girl panties and pull my own weight, by getting a handle on everything that Carlos' life encompasses. Really, it was a small price to pay.

When we arrived at the door to the room, I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin, determined to be a fitting partner for Carlos.

"Proud of you, Babe," his voice delivered in a hush tone.

Carlos opened the door and guided me into the room with a gentle hand to the small of my back. He settled me in a chair to his right, but he remained standing and began to speak.

"Good morning, gentlemen. I'd like to introduce my fiancée, Stephanie Plum."

The meeting lasted about two hours, with lunch served at the halfway mark. More than once, I was thankful for my business degree. Without it, I'd have been completely lost. As it was, my mind was still having a hard time wrapping itself around all the intricacies of RangeMan.

I drove in sort of a number-clouded haze to the address Raphael had given me. Carlos had brushed a kiss to my forehead before I left, and said he'd answer any questions I had later tonight over dinner. He hadn't even bothered to ask where I was going. I made him promise not to bring up the GPS tracker that was always with me. I think he thought I needed some time to process everything from the meeting, and I decided not to correct that assumption. It made it easier to keep this possible Christmas present a surprise.

When I pulled the Lamborghini to a stop at the address, I was impressed with the exterior and location. So far, so good. I locked up the car, beeped the alarm, and made my way into the lobby.

Almost instantly, I was greeted by a stunning, tall, blonde woman dressed in snug-fitting black pants and a low-cut shirt. She was wearing tasteful jewelry and expertly applied make-up, which drew attention to her eyes.

"Hi! You must be Stephanie." She smiled brightly and extended her hand.

"Yes. You're Brittany?"

"Sure am, but please, call me B.. How do you know Raphael, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm engaged to his brother."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Is he as sexy as Raphael?"

"Um…he's more."

"Oh my! How do you survive?"

A laugh bubbled out of me. "It's a daily struggle," I joked, instantly feeling myself relax.

"I bet it is," she agreed. "I should be so lucky to have your problems. I know how I jump through hoops to clear my schedule when Raphael calls, which isn't nearly enough, if you know what I mean." B. gave a whole body shiver. "Enough of that for now. What brings you to my place of business?"

"Well, Raphael wasn't very forthcoming with information. He likes to tease me, and only told me that what you do would be something Carlos would like for Christmas. I don't know anything else."

"That man!" She shook her head in exasperation. "Let me take you back into the viewing room so I can show you some of my work."

We walked into a small room with a large flat screen mounted on the wall, and comfortable leather chairs positioned directly in front of the screen.

B. dimmed the lights and pressed play on the DVD player. The images began to flash and spill out across the screen. They were erotic, stimulating shots. I knew this would be the perfect gift for Carlos. The question was, could I let go of my inhibitions enough to do something like this? My hands went clammy at the thought. I was enraptured through the entire presentation, picturing Carlos and myself locked in some of the poses that flashed before my eyes. About ten minutes later, the images stopped and the screen faded to black.

She brought the lights up and sat down next to me. "What do you think, Stephanie?"

I chewed my lip in consideration. I really wanted to do this, but I was curious about a couple of things. "I know this is perfect for Carlos. He'll love it. I do need to ask how many people are present during the session."

"Just me. I set up all the equipment in advance, so I can work the couples without having extra hands present. It's easier, for most people, to have fewer eyes around watching."

"That would be the case with me," I stated quietly.

"I assume that your Carlos won't have a problem with this. If he's anything like his brother, nudity isn't an issue."

I felt a blazing, red fire creep into my face. "He has an awesome body. He works hard to maintain it, but I don't know exactly how he'll react to this. He's never had a problem with nudity around me; however, he guards himself closely with people he doesn't know."

"We could have some fun with him, if you want. It might help take some of the tension away from you."

"Really? I like the sound of that! Carlos is hard to fool, though. He's pretty perceptive."

"I know we can have him questioning our intentions, if you're game."

"Okay, what do you have in mind?"

"Let's talk a little about your relationship, then I'll give you my thoughts."

I kept B. entertained for the next several minutes, with stories of our unusual history. I gave some information regarding our present day lives and our upcoming wedding plans. She wrote down a few notes while I talked. When I was done telling our tale, she gave me her ideas on what we could do and how everything would go off. She made a list of everything she wanted me to bring, along with an appointment card with this Friday's date.

We decided that we'd enlist Raphael's help, knowing he'd love to play along, too. Plus, I think it gave B. an excuse to talk with him. She seemed to really like him, and honestly, based on the woman he had on the yacht, she was almost too good for him. I couldn't help but feel a touch of the matchmaking urge creep into my mind.

The plan was to have Raphael bring Carlos here, so we could be 'ready' when he arrived. Our plotting had taken the better part of an hour, and I knew I needed get going. I didn't want Carlos to become suspicious. I gave B. a quick hug and jogged out to the car, then motored towards RangeMan with a big smile on my face.

**RPOV**

I could tell that Stephanie was distracted, and maybe a touch upset, when she'd left earlier. I hated the feeling of unrest that settled over me after she was gone. I didn't want our disagreements to go too long without resolution.

It had been wrong of me to not tell her about the shares of RangeMan, and not let her know I wanted her to start sitting in on the meetings. Honestly, it just didn't seem like a big deal to me, but she had a different opinion, obviously.

She'd done me proud, more than once, during the meeting. The partners were impressed with her insight and business sense. When she was called upon for ideas, she gave them in a calm, straight-forward manner, even though I could see her hands trembling where they lay in her lap. She did well, but then, I never had any doubt.

A soft knock sounded at the office door, and I knew she was back. The guys knocked so hard, most of the time, that the frame rattled under the beating they applied.

"Enter," I called, out of habit.

"Just wanted to let you know I'm back," she said, sneaking her head around the door.

"Babe, come in, I want to talk to you."

Stephanie blew out a sigh. She knew me well enough to know I'd want to fix any misunderstanding between us, sooner rather than later. I wanted to have a healthy, stable relationship with her, and that meant dealing with things immediately, not letting them fester and brew into bigger problems. From what I could tell, that was the usual way of handling things in her previous relationships. That unhealthy pattern had to stop now.

She plopped down on the couch in the corner of the room. I crossed the short distance and settled myself next to her, grabbing the closest hand and entwining our fingers together.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the shares or the meeting beforehand."

"It's fine, Carlos," she assured me.

"Stephanie, I know you were angry with me."

"No, I… Well, maybe a touch, but only because I didn't have any warning. I was mainly mad at myself." Her eyes never met mine, just stared down at our clasped hands.

"Why?" I couldn't understand why she'd be mad at herself.

"I've just floated along with you until now. I haven't exactly put any effort into learning about what it means to be your wife and partner; like I expected you to do everything for me, I guess in a way, I always have. It's embarrassing."

"I love you, Babe. We're both learning about building a future. Don't be so hard on yourself. I thought you did great in the meeting. I could tell several of the partners were impressed, and they're a tough crowd. Most of them are successful, influential businessmen here in Miami."

She nodded her head, and finally looked up into my face. Her beautiful, blue eyes held a hint of mischief in them. "Was this our first fight? I'm not sure, because there wasn't any yelling, screaming, or things being thrown through the air."

"I'm not sure it was fight. It was more a lack of communication on my part."

"Damn! I was hoping for make-up sex."

The laugh escaped before I could stop it. She never ceases to surprise me.

"We don't need an excuse to make love, Stephanie."

Reaching out, I buried both of my hands in her curls, tilting her mouth up slightly before bringing our lips together. Her fingers trailed along my arms, then settled at the nape of my neck, where she played absently with my hair. It was a habit of hers I found most appealing and stimulating. She leaned back onto the armrest of the couch, and I followed her down.

I wedged one leg between her thighs. Using a little pressure, I rubbed against her center with my leg. She moaned and ground herself against me. My hands found their way under her shirt, pulling the material up and away from her chest. I circled her nipple through the fabric of her bra, before pushing the lace to the side and sucking her nipple into my mouth. The volume of her moans increased.

"Shh, Babe. The guys will hear you." I found out quickly_that_was the wrong thing to say.

She gave a shove to my shoulders. "Stop! We can't do this here! We almost got caught by Raphael the other day," she whispered in a voice that held a touch of panic.

I resisted the urge to thump my head against the back of the couch. Why did I say anything? Where was my usual quiet demeanor?_ You checked it at the door, __Manoso, when__ you decided to give your relationship with Stephanie a real chance, remember?_

"Wanna go home early? I don't think the boss will mind." I gave her the wolf grin and she smiled.

"Sure, let's pick this back up at home. I think you need to feed me first. It could be a long night."

"How about we stop at the new client's place?"

"Oh yeah, I've been wanting to go there!"

We enjoyed dinner, took a walk on the beach when we got back home, then spent the remained of the evening in our bedroom, 'making up'. As I held my sleeping fiancée against my chest, I decided even in the rough patches, life was pretty good with her. Our love would stand the test.

The next few days fell into an easy pattern, as we both settled into life full-time in Miami. We ran at sunrise, one of us happily greeting the day, the other grumbling along. We went to work and usually ate at the office, depending on our schedules. The evenings were the only part that differed; each night the pattern would vary some, but it always ended in a satisfying round of sex.

Friday night came, and she refused to discuss any plans for the evening. Since it was the weekend, I thought about staying out late, maybe dancing or an outdoor concert somewhere, but she was vague with her answers and wouldn't commit to my suggestions. I was definitely wondering what she had planned.

When I found Steph and Raphael huddled together in a quiet conversation in the breakroom mid-morning, I had my answer. Whatever those two were up to, it was going down tonight. I left the room before either of them noticed me. Deciding to go forgo lunch for now, I made my way down to the gym.

During the many reps of my lifting routine, I played over the different scenarios regarding their plot. I couldn't even begin to fathom what it was.

Around three p.m., Stephanie came into my office to tell me she was going to run some errands and that she'd see me later. That in and of itself wouldn't have caused me any concern, had I not seen them together earlier.

About two hours later, Raphael showed up at my door, and I knew it was 'go time'. The smirk on his face only confirmed it.

"Hey, bro, want to go grab a beer?"

Again, not a usual request, but I was on to them.

"Where'd you have in mind?"

"A place downtown."

"What sort of place?"

"C'mon man, you know I like the titty bars," he said cockily. When he saw my look of disgust, he added, "Oh, I get it, the little woman won't let you go?"

I chose not to even dignify that with an answer, just a glare that told him 'another statement like that and you'll be needing stitches.' Besides, I was sure he was baiting me, though he did frequent those types of establishments regularly. I decided to play along.

"You driving?" I inquired, figuring that was part of the plan.

"Yep, and I'm ready to go if you are."

We made about a twenty-minute trip downtown to a club called Illusions. Raphael was greeted by several of the entertainers as we made our way to a booth near the wall, stage left. When the second round of drinks came, I decided to push for some information regarding their plan.

"So, where's Steph?" I chose to go straight to point.

"How would I know? She's your woman," Raphael replied flippantly.

"You two have been thick as thieves all week, and I know this," I waved my hands around in front of me, "has to be part of the plan. Oh, shit, she isn't stripping here, is she?"

Raphael roared with laughter, then got a serious expression on his face. "Man, do you really think she would?"

"No, you dumb fuck. Stephanie would never do something like this, at least not with a room full of people." I raised my eyebrow, "That's my solitary privilege, and I shouldn't have to remind you that I don't share," I stopped briefly and qualified with, "anymore."

"I'm not sure if you know her as well as you think, little bro."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" I growled in a deadly calm voice, tamping down the urge to grab Raphael by the front of his shirt.

Raphael gave me a shit-eating smile. "You remember that movie you in found in the DVD player on the yacht?"

"Yes. You shouldn't leave that shit out. I had Julie with me, for fuck's sake."

"Well, that girl I was with in the movie…"

I interrupted him. "I don't want to know any of the details, and I don't care who you're fucking."

Raphael plowed on, undeterred by my disinterest. "Anyway, her name is Brittany."

"Raphael," I warned, my normally endless patience reaching a breaking point.

"Stephanie's with her now."

"She's what?!" I barked out. Several heads turned to look at us. Only my brother could make me this crazy.

"Stephanie's with Brittany, and we're going to join them. In fact, we should probably get going." Raphael threw several bills down on the table and stood to leave. As he walked to the door, he stopped to brush kisses to several of the waitress' cheeks.

I followed along behind him, my mind racing over what exactly was going on. When we were driving away from the club, I turned to look at Raphael and stated firmly, "If you think I'm doing something like what I saw on the boat, with you, that woman, and Stephanie, you've got another thing coming."

"C'mon, man, you've done shit like that before."

"Yes, but never with a woman who meant something to me. Stephanie is going to be my wife. She's not some expendable sex toy."

"You've got it bad, bro." Raphael shook his head in disgust, as if finding one woman to make him happy was a bad thing. He didn't know what he was missing, the fool.

The rest of the ride was made in silence. I couldn't believe Stephanie would agree to something like this. At least, not without talking about it to me first. I'd made a couple of sex tapes with willing females; all evidence of those encounters had been found and destroyed when I started RangeMan.

I'd also been involved in more than one orgy, but doing it now, with Stephanie, it just felt wrong. All wrong. Loving someone the way I loved her incited a possessive tendency in me. There was going to be a private discussion between us before this went any further.

Raphael parked beside a nicely maintained building in the upscale part of town. He slid a key into the lock, and led me through the darkly-lit lobby to a comfortably furnished room. We sat, not saying a word, for nearly five minutes, then the door opened. The sight that appeared had my cock jumping to attention, and a war breaking out between my hormone-fed brain and my intellectual one. _Maybe a movie wasn't such a bad idea?_

Stephanie stood in a short, black, silk robe. Her hair was tousled in that 'just fucked' disarray, and her make-up was heavily applied. It wasn't something I normally liked on her, but the smoky, bedroom look of her eyes reminded me of the expression on her face right before an orgasm claims her.

Then there was the tall, beautiful blonde, wearing an incredibly short, tight, black dress, standing arm-in-arm with her. I remembered a flash of the female from the movie. This was definitely Brittany.

I slid my blank face into place and waited, my eyes boring holes into my fiancée. She gave a little quiver of fear, and Brittany leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Stephanie nodded, and Brittany spoke.

"Hi, I'm Brittany," she greeted with a big smile, while extending her hand. "You must be Carlos. I can see the resemblance between you and your brother."

I nodded my head slightly, flicking my eyes back to Stephanie as soon as I finished shaking her hand.

Brittany strolled over to Raphael. As they exchanged a few hushed words and a long, passionate kiss, I made my way over to Stephanie's side.

"Babe, you're playing with fire," I warned while she chewed on her lower lip. "We're going to talk about this first."

Before she could respond, Brittany was standing next to us.

"Carlos, if you'll step into the dressing room across the hall and remove your clothes, we'll get started," she stated casually, not seeming the least bit self-conscious about asking a stranger to strip.

I grasped Stephanie's hand tightly. I wasn't going anywhere, or doing anything, until I got some answers and a few minutes with Stephanie.

"Brittany, we're going to need a couple of minutes…alone." My tone left no room for compromise.

"Is there a problem?" Brittany asked innocently.

"Yes, there is. This isn't something I'm doing without talking to my fiancée first."

"Well, if your modesty prevents you from walking naked to the studio, I can get a pair of boxers for you to wear," she supplied in a helpful manner.

_Now, why the fuck would I care about walking naked down the __hall if__ we were going to be making a sex video?_ Apparently she _was_ a blonde airhead. Since she and Raphael were so cozy, that shouldn't come as a surprise. Brittany fit his type to a tee.

"No, nudity is not the issue here. It's about exploiting my future wife."

"I assure you, everything is done in a tasteful way."

"Look, Brittany," I started, but I was stopped by Stephanie.

"Carlos, it's okay," she said softly, rubbing my forearm. "It's not what you're thinking."

"How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"Trust me?" she asked with some hesitation.

"Babe."

"Then go to the dressing room. Brittany will bring you the boxers."

Stephanie and Brittany turned and left the room without a backward glance at either of us.

Raphael swung his arm around my shoulders and half spoke, half coughed, "Pussy whipped."

I slammed my elbow hard into his ribs, and left him doubled over, holding his side, as I crossed the hall to the dressing, or rather, in this case, the _undressing_ room. I'd just finished unlacing my boots, when there was a soft rap on the door.

Brittany's voice carried through the thin, wooden door. "I'll leave them hanging on the knob. Turn right out of this room, and go to the end of the hall. We'll be waiting for you."

I stripped off the rest of my clothes and slid on the boxers I'd retrieved from the knob. When I left the 'undressing room', Raphael was reclined on one of the sofas, watching television, in the room across the hall. Well, at least I felt better about that. I wouldn't be sharing Stephanie with my brother, thank fuck.

Shit, and I wasn't fucking Brittany either. No way. Even if it was what Stephanie wanted. I couldn't stand the thought of her with another man; been there, done that, as I thought of Joe Morelli. I certainly wasn't subjecting her to seeing me with another woman. I felt it would destroy a level of trust between us.

The first thing I noticed as I entered the room were several large lights positioned around a bed of black silk sheets, with Stephanie lying directly in the center. She was on her back, her right arm draped above her head, hair fanned out on the black silk. Her left hand, complete with engagement ring, clutched the fabric between her breasts. One leg was bent at the knee, and her thighs were parted in invitation, though her pussy was covered by the sheet.

The boxers I was wearing did nothing to mask my obvious erection.

Brittany noticed I'd entered the room. "Just a minute, Carlos," she called as she climbed onto the bed with Stephanie and began playing with her hair.

_Shit. Fuck. Damn._ I never expected Stephanie to be open to the idea of another woman.

Brittany sat back on her heels and motioned me over. "I want you to position yourself on top of Stephanie, resting most of your weight on your forearms," she directed.

I crossed to the bed and did as instructed. Stephanie settled her left hand on my bicep, then buried her right hand in my hair, as I twisted one of her curls around my index finger. I became lost in the endless, blue depths of her eyes, and was leaning down to place a kiss to her lips, when Brittany called, "Stop! Not yet!"

I rested my forehead against Stephanie's. Brittany made a few adjustments to the placement of Stephanie's hand, the sheet and my left leg, before grabbing a professional looking digital camera. _So this__ was still photography and not __video._Brittany probably wouldn't be in any of the shots, and this wasn't going to involve sex.

Stephanie chuckled when I heaved out a breath of relief. "Had you worried, didn't I, Batman?"

"Babe, you're going to pay for this. Be afraid. Be very afraid," I told her, heat and teasing coloring my voice.

**TBC**

Author's note: Oh, boy, wouldn't we all want Ranger planning retribution against us? *whole body shiver* I know, I know, no 'real' smut this chapter, sorry, but it won't be long. This is the Cuban Sex God and he'll be 'taking care of business' in the next chapter, I think?! He had other ideas about this chapter, so we'll see. LOL.

Please review, it's easy and it really brightens my day! Thanks!


	20. Gifts for the Naughty and the Nice

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Disclaimer: I'm just playing with JE's toys and really only Ranger.

Author's notes: First off, I'd like to say, "Thanks!" to all of you who are playing along with my 'pick the plot' theme. Even if I don't use your ideas, they still inspire me and usually prompt another thought or angle to work within the story.

Last week's question seemed to have one common thought…strip clubs. LOL! So, we'll definitely be visiting one in the future chapters, in fact, I'll be using most of this week's ideas in one way or another!

Here's a shout out to my funny, fabulous and terrific reviewers who provided ideas for last week's question: siriusyellowlab, tropicalscreamer, ty93, writersblock24, rangersluvin, Rangerlee, Rangemanbabe, Barb4psu and foreverbabe-I loved all of your ideas!

Extra special thanks to: concetta33 and girliegirl79 for the links to sites that have examples of the type of pictures that Brittany does in this chapter. I've posted those on my profile page, enjoy!

My heart-felt appreciation to my wonderful Beta, JenRar, who wouldn't let me tone down this chapter, when I questioned its content. She says, "If you don't like it, PM her!" LOL! She's a cracker. Love ya, Babe!

WARNING: Okay, so, I've discovered something about myself and my writing this weekend. When I'm mad-which isn't very often, I'm a happy person by nature-it resorts in me pushing the smut envelope. The last time I wrote while angry, I handcuffed Ranger! And this time…well, you'll see...

Chapter 20-Gifts for the Naughty and the Nice

**SPOV**

_Thump, thump, thump, thump._ I would have loved to have been able to slap a restraining hand over my chest to keep my heart from lurching out of place, but I was locked in the pose I was in. Carlos' dark, passion-hooded eyes bore into mine, and the hint of mischief I saw in their depths was causing me some serious concern. Not only that, but the kiss he'd just delivered held an animalistic bite to it. I was in big trouble…again.

It was never a good idea to pull on Batman's cape. The man could play hardball in the 'get even' department. _When would I ever learn? _I was quickly forming a list of what his revenge extraction possibilities might be, when the man himself startled me back to the here and now.

"Earth to Babe," he whispered, his nose rubbing along the side of my cheek, his breath feather-soft against my skin.

"Hmm."

"Are you paying attention? Brittany wants us to move."

"Oh, sorry." I turned my head to the left and met B's eyes.

"No problem. If I was in your position, I'd have trouble concentrating, too," B. said wistfully. "Alright, I want you both to kneel in the center of the bed, facing each other. Steph, go ahead and let the sheet drop. I'm pretty sure Carlos has seen you naked before." Ha ha. B. was turning into a regular comedian.

Carlos remained silent, staring deeply into my eyes as the sheet slid from my body in a gentle rustle of silk. His breath hitched when I pressed myself against his bare chest, flicking lightly at his nipple with the tip of my fingernail as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Stephanie, tip your head back away from him, exposing your neck. Carlos, put your left arm around her waist, splay that hand on her ass, and put your right hand at the base of her neck, under her hair."

We did as instructed, and she continued to direct us. "Stephanie, place your left hand at the crown of his shoulder, and form your hand in sort of a claw-like look, using your nails to dig into his skin. Carlos, I want you to hold her tight enough against you that I can't see her nipples, just the curve of her breast. Bury your face in the column of her neck so all I see is your profile."

I automatically slid my eyes closed as he nipped gently at the sensual spot below my ear. I might have moaned, but it was drowned out by the persist click of B.'s camera.

Carlos needed no further direction; he did what came naturally to him, and seemed to be exactly what B. wanted to photograph. His hand came around and captured my breast as he bowed me further back, using his left arm to support me. He blazed a trail of kisses down the center of my chest. His leg pressed into my mound, and I ground myself shamelessly against him. I let my hand travel down his side, running it under the waistband of his boxers to grab his ass and push him tighter to me. His erection bumped along my stomach, and before I could give it the attention it so desperately deserved, B. interrupted with a loud clearing of her throat.

"You guys wanna tone it down a notch? I didn't think you wanted porn, Steph."

Red-hot flames of embarrassment licked their way up my face. I rested my head against Carlos' chest, he settled his head on top of mine, and B. clicked off a few more pictures.

"Okay, not sure if this is the best time for this or not, but Carlos…lose the boxers." B. had a mischievous smile, and after a sharp look from Carlos, she giggled and added, "I'll turn my back."

While she was turned away, Carlos tugged the boxers off,and his cock jumped out to greet me. "_Hello, big boy!"_

"Babe!"

"Um, still in the room here," B. reminded us cheekily.

My eyes flashed to Carlos' face. He ESPd my terrified thought, and confirmed, "Outloud."

_Oh, God, was it possible to die of embarrassment?_

"Carlos lay down facing the camera. Stephanie, I want your back to me, then pull the sheet over the both of you."

Well, at least from that position, no one would see my red-stained face.

B. positioned us; both of Carlos' arms around me, our legs and the sheet tangled together in such a way that, while everything was covered, it left no doubt that we were both naked. Then she flipped me around and had Carlos spoon me from behind, our favorite sleeping position. We assumed the pose with no assistance from B., and she smiled knowingly. She adjusted the sheet so that only my mound was covered, leaving the curve of both our hips and my breasts bare. She arranged a few strands of my hair, moved Carlos' arm so it covered my nipples, and dropped the intensity of the lights to near darkness, leaving us mainly in shadow.

She took several shots of that pose from different angles, before moving us to a different one. Each time, she was respectful of Carlos' nudity. She gave us ample time to settle ourselves down after we were positioned in the more intimate poses.

I never dreamed I'd have such a difficult time keeping myself from wanting to have sex with Carlos as someone else watched. His closeness and nudity seemed to override all my inhibitions, his strength and power lulling me into a sense of security, even at my most vulnerable.

This was our love shown in the physical sense, captured in still form for our enjoyment, a reflection of the depth of emotion between us. As that thought settled over me, I knew I'd never share this man with another. This wasn't just sex. It was intimacy of the highest order. It was love. His, mine, ours. Forever.

He sensed my inner declaration, and returned with his own pledge. "I love you, Stephanie. Always have, always will."

B. called, "That's a wrap!"

When we didn't pay her any attention, just continued to stare into each other's eyes, she spoke softly from the doorway. "Why don't you finish up what got started in here? I'm going to find Raphael and blow off a little steam of my own. He's going to be _really_ happy to see me right now. Don't come looking for us unless you plan on joining in."

"Not sharing," Carlos said as the door was pulled shut. When we were alone, he said, "Babe, I'm on the edge. The last hour nearly drove me out of my mind." His voice was husky with desire and pent-up frustration.

He bit almost painfully at my nipple. I flinched and felt a flood of moisture coat my inner walls. "Me, too," I whispered.

"Gentle isn't on the menu, Steph."

"Bring it on, Batman!"

"You shouldn't taunt me like that, Babe, not when I'm this close to losing it."

I could see the wisdom in his words, but that didn't stop me from grabbing his erection in what I'm sure was a painful grip. He snapped. He threw me down with a forcefulness that startled me. Before I could even screech out in surprise, his mouth was biting at my clit, and two thick fingers were rammed into me. I bucked my hips up off the bed in response.

He wasn't the only one in the mood for being rough. I had a few plans of my own. I scraped my nails down his back, drawing blood. He didn't seem to mind. I twisted myself around so that I could get my mouth on his cock. I held no illusions that he hadn't allowed this to happen. Even though I was licking him like a lollipop, he was still conducting this lust-fueled, runaway train.

I nibbled my way down to his balls, sucking one into my mouth. Carlos' body stilled, and I made my next move. I dipped my middle finger into my mouth, moistening it, and then placed it against his puckered hole. I couldn't believe what I was about to do. I'd never done anything like this before. At my hesitation, he spoke in a voice that held none of his earlier sexual frustration. "You're not going to hurt me, Babe."

Carlos let me wrestle with my own mental demons, as he went back to his task at hand, and mouth, paying homage to my pussy. His fingers were pressed softly against my g-spot, bringing me right to the edge of an orgasm, and his teeth rolled my bundled of nerves between them.

I held my position at his hole, and used my other hand to pump at his cock; my mouth toyed with his balls. _He wants this, Stephanie, just do it!_

So I did.

I gently pushed the tip of my finger inside him. His cock twitched, but his body gave nothing else away except his breathing, which accelerated slightly. I applied a little more pressure and slipped further into him. I gripped his cock and pulled it to my lips. As I sucked the tip of him into my mouth, I slid into his ass up to my second knuckle. The passageway was opening some under my intrusion. It was soft, squishy, and very tight. Now, that I'd come this far, I had no idea what to do.

Carlos pushed himself down further on my finger when I paused. Then, just like he always did, no matter how embarrassed or uncomfortable I was with a situation, he calmly explained, "Curl your finger forward, Babe, like this." He mimicked the motion inside my pussy, and I moaned aloud. It felt so good.

Wanting to be a good student, I repeated the same motion inside him. He growled in pleasure. I'd found the bulls-eye. I probed the area tenderly, rubbing back and worth against it in a teasing manner for several long minutes.

"Steph. Fuck," he said breathlessly, wrenching his mouth from my clit and delivering a forceful thrust with his fingers. "Quit teasing. Push harder!" he demanded as he rocked against my finger.

Remembering what he'd said about this spot on him being like my g-spot, I set to work doing exactly what he did when he finger-fucked me. Oh boy, did he like that! I decided to add another finger, and he literally roared into the pillow.

I sent up a silent plea that Raphael and Brittany were too busy making their own noises to hear what was going on in this room. My embarrassment would reach an all-time high if someone were to come barging into the room right now.

My focus was completely on driving Batman insane with lust, so I didn't notice when he suddenly grabbed my ankles and pulled me up on the bed. My fingers slid out of him, and as my mouth lost suction with his cock, it made an audible 'pop' noise. I was flipped onto my stomach, and instantly covered by his body.

"Shit, you never cease to surprise me, Stephanie," he rasped into my ear. "That was unbelievably good for your first time. This isn't the time or the place for anymore exploration. We'll try that again, at home, and use some aids."

I'm not sure if he was looking for my consent, but I nodded my head anyway. I could feel his mouth curve up where it rested against my shoulder.

"Right now, I just want to fuck you…hard."

Again, I nodded my consent. He grasped my hips and pulled me to my knees. A flashback of the deserted, empty hospital room flashed before my eyes, and in the next breath, my pussy was invaded by a rather demanding visitor.

Holy shit! I needed to find something to hold onto, or I was liable to be drilled into the wall. We were a good eight feet away from it, but a couple of more thrusts like that, and I'd make that trip in no time. I searched frantically for something, anything, to hold onto, and only managed to grab fistfuls of silk bedding. I clenched the fabric tightly in my hands as he continued to pound into me, pulling all the way out before lining up and driving forward again.

I dropped my shoulders to the bed, which deepened his penetration and thrust my ass in the air. He delivered a stinging slap to my ass cheek. I cried out in pain and surprise.

"Babe, you've been a bad girl. A spanking is the least you deserve."

Okay, he had a point. I'd really pushed him with the pictures and the teasing, letting him think we were making a porn movie with B. and Raphael, but damn, the spot he'd hit hurt!

"That may be true, Batman, but you spank me again, it ain't gonna be pretty," I threatened with a voice that held little authority.

_Right. Let's examine your situation here, Stephanie._ He's got at least sixty pounds of pure muscle on you, and the skill and knowledge to know how to use it to his advantage. He's revved up on one hundred-proof testosterone that you pumped into his tank, and he has you facedown on the bed with his impressive cock buried to the hilt inside you. _You aren't exactly in the position to feel like you have the upper hand._

"You've always held the power, Babe," he whispered, rocking his hips gently in a circular motion, pressing against my g-spot with the tip of his cock. "I won't spank you again," he hesitated and added, "without warning."

Carlos laid his lips to the sore spot on my ass, delivering a soft kiss to the tender flesh. He spun me around, using his cock like a pivot, to have me facing him with us still joined. He supported my back with one arm as he rested back on his heels.

I put my feet flat on the bed to steady myself, as I began to ride him. When his mouth latched onto my nipple, I felt the first waves of my orgasm rush in.

He guided me back to the bed, keeping my legs up and draping them across his shoulders. He surged forward and began a demanding pace that had me begging him for more. The second orgasm screamed to the surface, and I echoed in reply with a scream of my own.

Carlos twisted a nipple with one hand and pinched at my clit with the other. I grabbed hold of his thighs, anchoring myself to his body. I arched my back and neck when his climax arrived. The pulsing of his cock deep within me triggered another tidal wave of pleasure.

The rhythm of his heart and his breathing returned to normal. He was lying on top of me, supporting most of his weight on his arms, only allowing the slightest pressure at my hips. His head was bowed and resting on my shoulder. I gently rubbed my hands up and down his strong back, tracing the outlines of where my nails had dug into his skin.

"Sorry," I whispered as I lightly touched the scrapes. "I got carried away."

"I think we both went a little crazy, Babe."

"Ya think?" I joked. Now that the excitement of the moment had settled, the soreness was seeping into several tender spots.

My stomach took the opportunity to put its two cents worth in, as it growled out in demand for some substance.

Carlos chuckled. "Let's get dressed and get out of here. We need to feed the beast."

"Do you think B. and Raphael are still…ummm…busy?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "If they are, we'll leave them a note."

I felt really uncomfortable about leaving the tangled sheets and the evidence of what had happened there. I stripped the bedding off, wadded it up, and tossed it in the washing machine I'd noticed across the hall from the dressing room I'd been given. Carlos pulled on the boxers and made his way back down the hall to his clothes while I got dressed. He was sitting on the bed, fully-dressed, when I emerged from my room.

"Did you see them?"

"No, I heard them," he said with a wry smile.

"Oh, God, was it bad?"

"While you don't like to be spanked, I'm pretty sure Brittany does. She was begging for it, rather loudly, and from the sounds of it, my brother was delivering one hell of a punishment."

"Don't get any wise ideas, Batman. What's good for one isn't always good for the other."

"Babe, don't I know it."

"Hey! What's that supposed to me?"

Carlos pulled me into a hug, kissing the top of my head. "It only means that you're completely different from any other woman I've ever been with. My feelings for you are incredible. I never believed I could be happy with one woman long-term, but you've shattered all my doubts."

We walked out to the Lamborghini, after leaving a note on the counter. I handed Carlos the keys as he led me to the passenger side of the car.

"I think Brittany really likes Raphael. Do you think he likes her?" I asked as Carlos drove us to our favorite local restaurant.

"Babe, don't get your hopes up. Raphael is a player. He takes what pleasure he can get from a woman, than moves on to his next conquest without a backward glance."

"How rude!"

"He's not making any promises, Steph. He doesn't hide what he wants, or what he expects to happen," Carlos said in a way that seemed to justify that it was alright. Informed consent…no problem, no secret, everybody wins.

The vibe that triggered the 'Spidey Sense' had my mouth opened and asking the question before I could think better of it. "You were like him, weren't you?"

"Babe."

"No, don't 'Babe' me. I won't be put off."

"Stephanie, I wasn't a virgin when I met you."

I didn't even try to stop the eye roll at the absurdity of his response. You didn't get as good as Carlos was in bed by watching videos and reading magazines. I practiced my 'Burg housewife, 'You aren't going to win, so give up now' look on my future husband.

"Looking a little crazy there, Babe," he observed, and laughed when I stomped my foot against the floorboard. "Calm down. Yes, I was a lot like Raphael before you. That's why he's constantly giving me shit about it now. He can't believe I'd give up what he considers the 'good life', for one solitary woman. It's beyond his comprehension right now. Someday…" he trailed off with a knowing smile, tipping up the corners of his delectable mouth.

I returned his smile as I thought of the time when I'd straddled the Ducati he loaned me as he used that same word. That day he'd sent a shiver down my spine at the promise I never thought I'd see fulfilled…boy, had I been wrong. Looking back, I didn't think he'd made it as an idle promise.

"You always knew we'd end up like this, didn't you?"

"I didn't know for sure. I'd hoped, thought it was a definitely possibility, knew we had a connection I'd never felt before. But I also knew you weren't ready then. You were still bouncing back and forth with Morelli."

"What you're not saying is that I needed to grow up and face the music. Joe and I were never right for each other."

Carlos nodded his head in agreement. "You were never Morelli's primary concern; you fell a little further down on his list."

"And you've always put me first," I stated simply.

"I tried. You made it damn hard on me at times, but I always tried to let you know you were important to me."

He raised our clasped hands to his mouth and placed a kiss to the back of my hand, near my engagement ring, then returned our hands to the top of his thigh. I rested my head back against the seat and enjoyed the remainder of the peaceful, silent ride to the restaurant.

**RPOV**

I could find enjoyment in anytime spent with Stephanie, but our dinner tonight had been one of the most relaxing in recent memory. Simple conversations involved what had happened during the day, and our plans for the week ahead. Brushed kisses, sharing from one another's plates, and the quiet, contentment of being together. Our relationship was developing into so much more than I'd ever imagined or thought possible. I was humbled and grateful.

As we drove back to the house, I wondered if there'd ever be a time when she didn't surprise me. Would our relationship get stagnant and boring? Would we lose interest in one another? _Not likely, Manoso. This girl from the 'Burg could rock your world like no other._

Holy hell, I couldn't believe she went anal on me earlier this evening. Dios, it was fucking incredible! She'd been willing to try it, even though I knew she had definite reservations and misgivings. She'd done it because I'd asked, encouraged her to explore the possibility. Stephanie never disappointed me.

She was even getting more comfortable with me touching her ass. Sometimes I licked at her puckered hole, other times I lightly probed, but almost always, during sex, I stimulated her there. After tonight's adventure, I was ready to push it to the next level with her.

Stephanie was insanely curious, one of the many things I loved about her, and I knew that my reaction to what she'd done tonight had her curiosity humming with the possibility of what hidden pleasure might wait there for her as well.

I had every intention of teaching her all the many ways a body could be stimulated and pleasured. It was going to be a slow process. We had time, and I didn't want to spook her. Besides, if I'd learned anything about my beautiful fiancée, it was that if you just piqued her interest slightly, she'd roll the idea around until she couldn't help but explore it. The black box needed to make an appearance again soon. I had the perfect item in there for the next lesson on anal sex.

A soft smile settled over her face as I gently nudged her awake. We were home, parked in the garage.

"Babe." I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, placing a kiss to her temple.

"Carlos," she purred, her voice thick with sleep.

My name on her lips, especially in passion, always tugged at my heart. The Ranger persona had been shed, and in its place was a man deeply in love with his mate.

"Stephanie, do you want me to carry you into the house?"

"Umm…no…I can walk," she sleepily replied.

I ran around and opened her door, holding out my hand to help her from the car. She wobbled a bit, and I wrapped my arm around her waist. While we were walking into the kitchen, I noticed her steps were hesitant.

"You're hurting, aren't you? Sore from earlier?"

Stephanie nodded her head, and I soothed my hands down her back. I steered us out to the deck. Slowly, I removed her clothes and helped settle her into the hot tub, then returned to the house to get two glasses of wine and our robes.

When I eased myself into the water, Stephanie leaned forward in her seat. I took my place behind her, handing her one of the glasses of wine.

"Morelli's wedding invitation came in the mail today at RangeMan. Do you want to attend?" Whatever she decided was fine with me. If she wanted to go, I'd be more than happy to take her, and if not, well, the guys' visit to Miami would start sooner instead of later.

"Would you be alright going, maybe just to the reception?"

"Sure, Babe."

"We can make an appearance, congratulate them, then leave early. We could get back to Miami before midnight," she suggested.

"Whatever you want."

"It would probably be for the best. It might make Mom happy. She mentioned it when I talked to her yesterday."

Stephanie and Helen had been talking on the phone a couple of times a week since our permanent move to Miami. The conversations were strained at first, and left Stephanie stressed, which annoyed me, but they'd been getting better. I didn't want a relapse into her old ways of looking for her mother's approval on her decisions. I'd kept myself out of their problems, but I wouldn't let Stephanie be controlled by Helen, not when she'd finally broken free.

"Stephanie, I thought you decided you weren't doing things simply to please your mother."

"I'm not, honest. Joe's been a friend for a long time. Our relationship caused him some heartache. I feel bad about that." She stopped and checked my reaction. I gave her a sympathetic look, telling her I wasn't mad or upset about her feelings. She continued, "I don't regret my choice. You're the only man for me, Batman, but I'd like to see Joe happy."

"I understand, Babe, I do. It's not a problem that you want to go. Are you going to want to invite him to ours?"

She chewed her lip in consideration. "I guess we have to at this point, huh? Especially if we attend his."

"Not necessarily. Since our wedding's going to be small, I don't think we're obliged to invite him. Besides, who cares, anyway? It's our day. Our choice."

"There's still time to think about it, but let's at least stop by the reception before we leave Trenton."

"I'll return the RSVP tomorrow then."

We talked about our upcoming trip and Christmas. We'd be spending Christmas Eve morning with Julie before flying back to Trenton. Christmas Eve night, we'd be at my parents' for dinner and midnight Mass. Christmas morning, we'd have our gift exchange with one another at the RangeMan apartment, then head to the Plum's for the rest of the day. I was really looking forward to that! No telling what tricks Edna had up her skinny little sleeves.

"Babe, have you bought anything for your parents and grandma?"

"A couple of little things I got during our Black Friday shopping trip." She giggled when I shuddered at the memory. "I can't figure out what else to get them."

"Raphael and I give our parents a trip every year for their gift. This year we're sending them on a cruise the third week in January. Do you think your parents would like something like that?"

"Oh, yeah, are you sure it isn't too much?"

"Are you asking me if we can afford it?" I teased. Stephanie still wasn't used to having money to spend however she wanted without worry.

She sighed. "I guess we can, huh?"

"Yeah, Babe, that's not a problem."

"Well, Grandma might be a problem. What about her? I know my dad would have a better time without her along. Truth be told, Mom would, too. I don't think they'd want to leave her home alone. Do you think we should offer to have her down here?"

"NO!!" I barked loudly, starling myself and Stephanie in the process.

"Gee, Carlos, tell me what you really think."

"Haven't you gotten yourself into enough trouble today? You're running up quite the payback bill."

"Hey! I already got spanked for the trick with B. The bill's paid up!" she stated firmly.

"You think that little love tap settled your debt?"

"Love tap?!" she exclaimed. "Shit, I bet there's a bruise in the morning."

"I doubt it, Babe, but I'll kiss it better if it is. The debt's still there. I've already decided on how I'm going to settle the score. Be afraid," I warned gently, already tasting the sweet flavor of payback as I envisioned her reaction to my plan.

"So, Grandma." She couldn't have found a more adequate mood killer than the subject of her grandmother. "What about her?"

A wicked thought skittered through my mind, and I decided to test out the possibility with Stephanie. It would kill numerous birds with one stone: a gift for Edna, a place, other than our home, for her to be while Frank and Helen were on the cruise, and a little payback treat for our ole buddy Santos.

"How about sending her to Atlantic City with a couple of her friends, and let's say one or two RangeMan bodyguards to keep them in line, the same week your parents are gone?"

"Oooh, I like that idea. Are you going to make the guys draw straws to see who gets to go with her?"

"Maybe, though I definitely see Santos making the cut. I owe him."

"Carlos, you're mean!"

"Remember that, Babe, the next time you want to yank my chain. I _will_ get even."

She gulped, and I pressed a kiss to the side of her face. "So, anybody else we need to take care of for Christmas?" I asked, as we rose from the hot tub and dried off.

"No, I think that's everybody. Julie and all the nieces and nephews are done. How about you? Are you done shopping, Batman?"

"Yes, I have your gift, Stephanie."

She rolled her eyes, "You've got it wrapped already, too, don't you?" When I nodded my head, she mumbled in exasperation, "Of course, he's always the over-achiever."

"What's that, Babe?" I called as she walked up the stairs in front of me. I became distracted by the gentle sway of her hips.

"You're one of those people who purchased the gift weeks in advance, and have it wrapped and ready before most people even began their shopping. Do you know how much wrapping I've yet to do?"

"I'll help. I'm good with wrapping, though I enjoy unwrapping more," I said as I pulled the tie loose from her robe. I pushed the material off her shoulders, and it fell to the floor in a pool around our feet. "Beautiful," I breathed. As I pressed a kiss to her lips, I knew her love was my greatest gift. Nothing would _ever_ be able to compare.

**TBC**

Author's note: Thanks for reading my drivel! Hope you enjoyed, and if you did please drop me a review! I really appreciate it! Next chapter should be Christmas and Joe's wedding. Have a great week! ~Angie


	21. Christmas Wishes

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 21-Christmas Wishes

Disclaimer: Still borrowing, thinking of not returning.

Author's notes:  Wow! The reviewers blew me away _again_ this week! Last chapter was my 2nd biggest reviewed chapter since I started writing. THANK YOU! And the number of PM's to the plot question was also the most yet! Nearly everyone wanted Ranger naked or at least barefooted! LOL. _Don't we all?_

Here's my weekly shout out to everyone that contacted me! I love the ideas, descriptions and links you sent! You gals ROCK!!: SapphireJ, janetfan150, concetta33, emhmom, ty93, kjen, Barb117, Rangemansbabe, time4tea, sirusyellowlab, forever babe, Amanda Babe and bitte-d'amour.

Special thanks this week to: Rangerslee, who created an entire wedding album that I'll be posting on my profile page when I do the wedding chapter! Thanks, Babe!

To girliegirl79, for her support and critique of this chapter as well as the title. Love you, Babe!

Last, but certainly not least: JenRar, my unbelievably talented Beta, who didn't make the 4 hour trip, to my house, to beat me with a stick, when I didn't exactly do what she asked. You're the best, Babe!

**SPOV**

I was scurrying around, trying to make sure we had everything we needed for our trip to Trenton. Carlos was downstairs, finishing his work-out. Once he showered and got dressed, we'd be ready to go see Julie.

Satisfied that I hadn't forgotten anything, after consulting my list-yes, I made a list, Carlos was changing me in so many ways-I headed downstairs. We met at the halfway point on the stairs.

He was shirtless, sweaty, and only wearing the black shorts he wore to exercise in….yum. I moaned and licked my lips in appreciation, wondering how much time we had before we'd be late.

"Babe, you're insatiable."

I rolled my eyes. "Look who's talking," I smirked. When I leaned forward to pull our bodies together, he stopped me with gentle, restraining hands to my shoulders.

"Stephanie, I'm all sweaty. I'll ruin your outfit. You look gorgeous. Give me ten minutes."

Carlos vanished before I could even respond. Moments later, I heard the shower start. Carlos had packed the Suburban after his run, so there was really nothing left to do. I decided to go out onto the pool deck to wait for him.

My mood was fast approaching giddy. Being a kid at heart, Christmas has always been a favorite of mine. It was early on Christmas Eve morning, and I already knew that this would be my best Christmas ever. It was our first Christmas as a couple. I couldn't be any happier.

The last few nights, he'd worked late, trying to get the end-of-the-year business items dealt with and tying up loose ends so he could be offline for the remainder of the year.

When he got home, we spent the time preparing for Christmas; wrapping gifts, discussing details, planning for the guys' stay and the few days we'd be spending with Julie after the guys went back to Trenton. Of course, he wouldn't tell me exactly what we were doing with Julie, only that I needed to pack warm-weather clothes and several swimsuits.

The fresh, crisp ocean breeze suddenly blended with the wonderful scent of Bvlargi and Carlos.

"Soak up the warmth, Babe. Weather report has light flurries and twenty degrees in Trenton," he breathed into my ear, before gently kissing the sensitive area on my neck.

"Argh, at least it will be a white Christmas."

"That's something we'll never have here."

I shivered as I contemplated twenty degrees in comparison to the seventy degree day I was currently enjoying. "Maybe that's not such a bad thing. Christmas in shorts or swimsuits… I like the idea."

"Whatever you want, Babe. Next year, we can stay here. Right now, though, we'd better get going. Julie's probably driving Rachel crazy, asking when we're going to get there."

I agreed, and we made our way to the garage. The trip passed quickly, and as soon as we pulled into the drive, Julie bounded out of the house. When Carlos opened the truck door, her voice carried across the front lawn as she made her way towards us.

"Dad! Steph! Look, no splint! No restrictions! Isn't it great? Oh, and Merry Christmas!!"

Julie pounced on Carlos asking a million questions, as I walked over to Rachel.

"Merry Christmas, Rachel. How are you doing?"

She greeted me warmly. "Merry Christmas, Stephanie. Physically, I'm fine. I'm not looking forward to my first Christmas without Ron, but seeing her so happy and excited is helping. She finally has the relationship with Carlos that I always wanted for them."

I couldn't imagine how difficult the next couple of days were going to be for Rachel. With the string of holidays, her emotional pain never got a chance to heal. The situation was so sad. I selfishly hoped I never experienced the type of pain and loss she was feeling right now.

Rachel linked our arms together. "Don't be sad, Stephanie. Enjoy your time with Carlos. Live everyday. I did with Ron. I have no regrets. He knew I loved him, and I knew his love."

My eyes met Rachel's, and I gave her a slight nod. We watched as Carlos and Julie walked towards the house arm in arm.

"Do you have any idea how crazy she's going to go when she finds out about the little vacation you two have planned?" Rachel inquired with a twinkle in her eye.

"Her?? I'm already going crazy! I have no idea where we're going. He won't tell me anything!"

Rachel's laughter rang out. "Boy, has Carlos changed since you've came into his life!"

"Not really... He's always been tight-lipped when he wanted to be."

"No, I meant with surprises. The Carlos I knew was a private, serious, focused man who had little time for playful fun. You've changed him for the better, and his daughter has benefited from it."

"We've changed each other, Rachel. It's not a one-way street."

"I know, Stephanie, and I understand. That's the way it happens when it's right."

Carlos and Julie stepped up on the porch with us. Julie wrapped her arms around me in a hug, and I tightly squeezed her back. Carlos held out his arms to Rachel, who walked into his embrace. Julie checked my expression, clearly wondering if their closeness bothered me. It didn't, and I smiled at her while I ruffled her hair. Carlos kissed Rachel's cheek, and she turned, leading us all into the house.

We had an enjoyable morning with them. Julie had screamed, nearly bursting our eardrums, when she opened her new Taylor Swift CD and found concert tickets to her show as well. Julie had just gotten herself under control, when Carlos told her we were taking her and her best friend, Annie, on a surprise trip from the 30th of December through the 2nd of January. She began pumping me for information when Carlos wouldn't give, but I told her it was a surprise to me as well, so I wasn't going to be any help.

She was a sly thing, and tried a different angle with her dad. "Dad, I need to tell Annie and her parents where we're going."

Carlos gave her a knowing smile. "I've already spoken with her parents. It's all taken care of. We'll pick you up here, then Annie at her house, on the morning of the 30th."

Not deterred in the slightest, she switched angles again. "What about Mom?" She looked over to Rachel. "I'm not sure if I should leave her to go have fun with you, Stephanie, and Annie."

_Go for the guilt! Always a good choice. _I mentally cheered her on. She might be more capable of handling him than me. I swiveled my head around to Carlos; it was his shot in this verbal tennis match. _Hmm, he wasn't budging._ He pierced her with a serious look.

Rachel brought it to an end. "Julie, I'll be fine. In fact, several of my friends and I are going to New York and Times Square for New Year's Eve. Your father has planned a trip that I know you'll all enjoy. Quit pestering him!"

The curiosity was nearly killing me. I shot Rachel a pleading look, and she laughed. "Sorry, Stephanie, you'll have to wait, too. I'm not telling you anything, either."

Carlos gave me a kiss and breathed into my ear softly, "You're going to have to wait, Babe. She's on my side."

Rolling my eyes, I gave up the fight. It seemed no more information was forthcoming on that subject and the talk turned to our wedding. When we told them we'd set a date, Julie was screaming and bouncing around the room again.

She handed us her gift, then sat down to watch us open it. Julie had made us a scrapbook. She had the back pages laid out so that all that needed to be done was to add the pictures. The first few pages already held pictures of us that she'd taken while she'd stayed with us. Carlos traced his finger lightly over a picture of the three of us my mom had taken with Julie's camera on Thanksgiving Day. He brushed a kiss to Julie's head and held her on his lap while we looked through the pages.

There were pictures from the windsurfing day, boating on Raphael's yacht, different shots of all of us in the pool, Carlos and I snuggled together on the couch, and one of the smoke bellowing out of the oven from our Thanksgiving pies.

"Gee, thanks, Jules, I really needed to be reminded of that," I quirked.

We all had a good laugh over the memory, then Carlos said we needed to get going. After a round of hugs and kisses, we were backing out of the driveway.

Julie waved at us from the front porch, calling, "I'll see you in a few days! Merry Christmas!"

We headed towards downtown to Raphael's. We were picking him up and taking him with us to Trenton. Carlos warned me that Raphael's place was pure bachelor pad, and I could only imagine the worst.

Raphael ushered us into his house, then ran upstairs to finish packing his bag. "Hey, I just got in from B.'s and haven't had time to throw my stuff together. Bro, give her the tour. I'll be ready in twenty minutes."

I looked around the living room. It held a large, flat-screen television and a large, black, leather sectional sofa, complete with several side pieces.

"This isn't so bad," I said as we walked through the room.

"It gets better," Carlos quipped, leading us through the nicely appointed kitchen into the 'entertainment room'.

"Oh, my God! Is that a stripper's pole?!"

"Yep. And those bolts on the ceiling," he pointed past the pool table, stand alone video games, and air hockey table, to a vacant corner of the room that had two large floor-to-ceiling mirrors, "those are for a sex swing. Ever seen one of those?"

"Eww! Only during my visit at Pleasure Treasures to apprehend that crabby old woman."

"They can be fun," Carlos said with a smile.

"I bet you'd know this from first-hand experience," I mused softly.

Carlos pulled me against the front of his body. I could feel his erection pressing into my stomach. He whispered into my ear, "I'd be happy to teach you how they work. Basically, it supports you in a weightless manner and allows me full movement of your body."

"Hmm," I purred. My body reacted to his touch and whispered words as it always does.

"Would you like to try it sometime? Trust me, Raphael won't care."

"Maybe," I said nervously.

Carlos turned us out of the room, and we finished the tour of the rest of the house. Nude pictures of women in various poses adorned most of the walls. There was an extensive collection of porn videos housed in a case in his office. Books about sex and various sexual practices lined the shelves on his wall.

We walked into a small room off his office that held a piano, several guitars, bongo drums, large speakers, and a complicated sound board.

I gasped in surprise. "Does he play?"

"Yes, he's a fairly accomplished musician. He does a few gigs a year with a local band called The Playboys."

"Lord, no wonder he has so many women. He's attractive, rich, funny, _and_ he plays in a band." I gave an exaggerated sigh, teasing Carlos.

Carlos walked over to the bongo drums, caught my eye, and gave me a sexy little smile. Then, he began to play. My breath hitched, and a rush of desire sped through my body as I watched him beat out a rhythm, causing the muscles to flex in his arms. _Why had he never told me he played the drums?_ The sound had a tribal beat and stirred me in many ways, most of them sexual. I watched as he became lost in his music, and nearly jumped out of my skin when Raphael whispered in my ear.

"He's pretty good, isn't he?"

"Damn you, Raphael! Make some noise!" I slapped him in the chest.

"You wouldn't have heard me even if I had, little sis. You were too caught up in your lover."

Carlos noticed that his brother had entered the room, and the music stopped. When he walked over to us, I gave him a pop in the chest, too. "You've been holding out on me, Batman!"

"Can't tell you all my secrets right away, Babe, it ruins the mystery." He kissed my forehead and reached down to entwine our fingers.

"Did you show her the back deck?" Raphael asked, and when Carlos shook his head in the negative fashion, we headed outside.

The pool deck was beautiful, landscaped to provide privacy and still afford a view of the beach. I looked to the left and spotted the marina where Raphael's stored his yacht.

"Wow! The yacht's right there."

"Yeah, it makes it handy. Most of the time, I leave my car here and walk. That way I can keep all my babies housed here in the garage instead of parked on the marina lot."

"Babies?" I teased. "Good grief, are you talking about your cars?"

"Be careful, Babe, he gets pissed if you give him shit about them."

Raphael nodded his head, and I let the matter drop. Carlos told us we needed to get going. Neither of the men wanted to face the wrath of Maria Manoso if we were late for dinner.

I let the guys ride in the cockpit on the flight to Trenton while I took a nap. It was going to be a late night, and I found that sleeping during the trip always made it go faster.

We drove straight to Newark from the airport. The house was packed when we arrived. Carlos pulled to a stop at the curb, helped us carry in the gifts, then drove down the block to park the SUV.

There wasn't an empty place for another dish on the dining room table. The aromas filled the house with the smell of Christmas. Everyone was seated at the table, a prayer was said, and then each sibling of the immediate Manoso family gave a brief announcement about their lives and what they were most thankful for this Christmas. Since Carlos was the youngest, he went last.

"Stephanie and I have set the date for our wedding; it'll be June 5th of this coming year." A round of applause broke out, causing Carlos to stop speaking. The family chanted that he should give me a kiss. He cupped my face between his hands and lowered his lips to mine. It was a kiss that held all the promise of our future together. The crowd settled down, and Carlos finished with, "I'm most thankful for the gift of love I share with Stephanie, Julie, and my family."

Wine glasses clinked, and dishes were passed around. I stayed in the dining room after the meal was finished to help clean up the mess. Carlos went into the living room with several of the men and older relatives. The kitchen duty wrapped up quickly as the children ran back and forth, begging everyone to hurry as they were anxious to open their gifts.

Maria herded us all out of the kitchen and into the living room. Carlos was seated on one of the many couches, holding an infant bundled in a pink blanket. The sight warmed my heart. This could be a snapshot out of our future, only he'd be holding our child.

The little bundle of pink looked to be about two or three months old. She had to be his sister Sierra's baby girl, Eva. She was adorable, staring up at her handsome uncle with big, brown eyes.

"Goodness, Carlos, even the female babies are enthralled with you," I teased as one of his older aunts moved further down the couch, allowing me room to set next to my fiancé.

"Babe," he stated with amusement.

He handed Eva over to me. I snuggled her into my body, and Carlos wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side. He pushed a curly tendril behind my ear and softly spoke. "She looks perfect in your arms, Stephanie. Maybe, someday…"

I rested my head on his shoulder and nodded in agreement. The gifts were distributed and wrapping paper began to fly around the room. Eva started fussing and Sierra collected her with a smile, heading for a bedroom to feed her in private.

The adults of the family had drawn names. I recognized the writing on the tag of my gift. Raphael. _Surely, he wouldn't embarrass me too __badly__ in front of his family, right?_ I still eyed the package as if it were a snake preparing to strike.

Carlos noticed my apprehension and soothed in a quiet tone, "It's not going to bite, Babe."

"Raphael got my name. There's no telling what's inside."

"Don't worry. He's not going to do anything that's going to get him in trouble with Mama. He thinks he's her favorite."

I laughed and grabbed the gift. I tore the wrapping paper off with a flourish, then was puzzled by what I found. It appeared to be some sort of Christmas story printed entirely in Spanish.

My eyes searched the room for Raphael, not seeing him anywhere. I jumped when he leaned over the couch and whispered into my ear, scaring me senseless for the second time today. "Looking for me, little sis?"

I fired the death rays at him as he settled himself on the vacant spot next to me on the couch. "Raphael, if your mother wasn't sitting right here, I'd thump you over the head with this book that I can't read!"

"Genio, genio, hermana." _(Temper, temper, sister.)_

"English," I growled at Raphael. "I only speak English, you moron!"

"Not for long, Steph. Open the book."

A card fell out as soon as I lifted the cover; the type was in Spanish, of course! "What's this?"

"That is the business card of one of my friends."

"Let me guess, another female friend."

Raphael laughed softly. "As a matter of fact, she is."

I rolled my eyes. "So what's this one do, Raphael? Teach me how to swing from a stripper's pole?"

"Oh, shit! Why didn't I think of that? Maybe I'll get your name again next year," he mused aloud. "No, she's going to teach you how to speak Spanish."

"Really?" Okay, he'd surprised me; this was actually a great gift.

He nodded his head. "I figured since you and my brother have moved to Miami full-time, it would make life easier for you if you could speak Spanish. Plus, I'd bet one of my cars that my brother switches to Spanish in the 'heat of the moment,' and you don't understand a word he's saying."

Choosing to ignore his probe into our sex life, I asked, "Is she expecting my call?"

"Yes. I've taken care of lessons, once a week for the entire year. By next Christmas, you'll be able to read the book I gave you."

Raphael wrapped me in an embrace as I flung myself into his arms. "Thank you!" I whispered, before kissing him on the cheek.

"Hey!" Carlos warned, pulling me from his brother.

"He got me Spanish lessons!" I said with enthusiasm.

"Oh, Babe, I can't wait to hear you speak it."

The darkening of his eyes told me that these lessons were going to have a very positive effect on my sex life with Batman. _Like we needed any help in that department!_

Maria announced dessert was served. I jumped from my seat and raced towards the dining room. The spread of delicious desserts caused a moment of panic. _How was I going to decide which one to have?_ I choose several small pieces of different types and Carlos shared a portion of his Tres Leches cake. When my plate was clean, I was ready to pop, wanting nothing more than to take a nap. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen, because it was time to leave for Mass.

Sitting in church with Carlos at my side was a unique experience. We hadn't talked much about religion, hardly at all in fact, but it gave me comfort to know we shared the same faith. The Mass ended around one thirty in the morning. We said good-bye to all the many family members before we left the church.

Raphael and Carlos were talking softly in Spanish during the drive back to Trenton, and I fell asleep in the back seat. Carlos gently woke me when we arrived at RangeMan. I vaguely remember riding in the elevator, stripping my clothes off on my way to the bedroom and then snuggling down into the luxurious sheets as his warm body pressed itself against my back.

I groggily said, "Love you."

As I drifted back to sleep, the last words I heard were, "Love you, too, Babe."

**RPOV**

Stephanie's giggle woke me the next morning. I jerked awake when I felt her hot lips seal themselves around my morning erection.

"Merry Christmas, Batman," she purred as she licked her way up my body. Stephanie took her time circling her tongue around each of my nipples. "I was happy to find you still in bed with me this morning. Giving the temple a day off?"

"It's Christmas. The best one yet, since you're here with me." I buried my hands in her hair and pulled her mouth to mine. "I love you, Stephanie. Merry Christmas."

I spoke the words softly, then kissed her with all the tenderness and love I felt in my heart.

She ran her hands down my face and nipped lightly at my bottom lip. We exchanged several playful kisses before things started to heat up. Stephanie rocked her pelvis against my cock, and I took charge of the situation, flipping us so that she was on bottom.

I peered down into her face, brushing wayward curls back out of my way as I started at her forehead and slowly kissed down her body. She arched her back when I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth, begging me to take more.

My hand traced down her curls and parted them with a delicate touch. I rubbed her clit softly before gently probing her already moist center. I slid one finger into her softness, and she moaned. When I added a second finger and began a slow rhythm, she begged. "Please, don't make me wait. I need to feel you now."

The pleading look on her face had me spreading her legs wider as I moved into position. I grasped my cock in my right hand and rubbed it up and down her slit, coating the tip with the moisture oozing out of her pussy. I stroked the wetness down my length, then centered myself at her entrance. I reached up and clasped our hands together, looked into her eyes, and in one powerful stroke, buried myself within her.

Her eyes shuttered closed in passion. She bared her neck in ecstasy, and I gritted my teeth together as her tightness gripped my cock. She wrapped her legs around my waist, and I knew she was ready for me to begin our dance. Her hips rose to meet my thrusts. I reached around, grabbed one of her legs, and draped it across my shoulder. The penetration deepened, eliciting a loud moan from her.

She began chanting my name, and it urged me to a faster pace. Her orgasm arrived with a shout. Stephanie frantically bucked against me, ripping another orgasm from her body, and as her walls clenched around my cock, it pulled me over the edge. The warmth of release pulsed out of me, and I breathed her name in fulfillment.

I rested my head on her chest, listening to the tempo of her heart slow. Reluctantly, I withdrew from her body, then lay on my side and pulled her back against my front. We drifted back into a contented sleep.

When we woke for the second time, we kissed and petted each other for several long minutes before I carried her into the bathroom.

After a quick shower, Stephanie went to the kitchen to start coffee and put breakfast together. I got our gifts and placed them on the end table, then plugged in the small Christmas tree Ella had placed in the apartment. I was finishing a check-in call to the control room when she sat a tray next to the gifts.

"Yeah, Tank. Call me if anything comes up. We'll be at the Plum's most of the day," I told him.

"Shit, man, glad it's you and not me. I'd rather be right here, manning the office," Tank replied sympathetically.

"I'll be back here at 1900 to relieve you," I said, snapping the phone shut without any further comment about how I was spending my day.

We looked at the two large boxes sitting on the table and laughed. Each box was about three feet tall by two feet wide.

Stephanie's smile lit up her face. "I guess we blew the saying 'the biggest gifts come in small packages' all to hell, huh?"

"Looks that way, Babe. You go first."

She walked over to her box and tore the wrapping paper off, tossing it over her shoulder as she began throwing several sheets of tissue paper onto the floor. She dug and dug, finally pulling a large sketch pad from the box. She shot me a look of confusion, and continued to root around in the box, producing color pencils and swatches of fabric.

"Um, Carlos, you know I can't draw, right?" I nodded my head, and she put her hands on her hips, shooting me a glare. "What is it with you Manoso men and these cryptic gifts?"

"Open the sketch pad, Stephanie."

Her eyes widened in surprise, then she shouted, "MARCO DANANTI! Oh, my God! Carlos!"

Still holding the pad of paper that the designer had signed, stating he was looking forward to personally designing her wedding gown, she charged at me. I was ready for her, but her momentum had us landing on the floor with a thud. At least I was able to break her fall with my body. She rained kisses all over my face, murmuring "Thank you" over and over.

I grabbed her head and tilted her chin up with my thumb so I could look into her eyes. "I take it you like your gift, Babe?"

"I love it! His designs are incredible. The dress I wore to the White House was one of his." She folded her hands and placing her head on top of them as she looked up at me, from where she rested on my chest.

"I know," I remembered fondly. You looked fabulous in it. I thought the style of designs he uses complimented your body so well that I contacted him to see if he'd be interested in working with you for your wedding gown. If you have something else in mind, you can use the commission I paid him for a different gown instead of your wedding dress."

"No! This is perfect! I already have an idea of what I'd like, but so far none of the pictures I've seen in the magazines are quite what I have in mind. Now I won't have to compromise. It'll be great!" Stephanie gave me another kiss and we sat up, placing our backs against the couch.

"Can I open my gift now?"

Stephanie nodded, and I rose to my knees to unwrap the tall box. When I laid the flaps back, I saw a large picture frame wrapped in shiny, black paper. I hefted the item from the box and removed the paper. It was one of the shots Brittany had taken. Stephanie was laying on her side, facing the camera, my front to her back. Her head was tilted up, awaiting my kiss, as I leaned over her shoulder. Our right hands were clasped between her breasts, barely covered by the satin sheet. Her left hand, with the diamond of her engagement ring sparkling, rested on my bicep and mine was buried in her hair, supporting her neck. The image was sensual, erotic, and intimate, speaking soundlessly of our love and connection to one another. I was stunned speechless by the beauty of it.

Stephanie rubbed her hand down my arm, asking nervously, "Do you like it?"

"Babe, it's unbelievable. Dios, she captured the emotion I feel right before I kiss you."

"It was hard to pick out my favorite one, but I kept coming back to this shot. I thought we could hang it in our bedroom when we return to Miami."

"The wall we see when we lay in bed?"

She smiled her agreement and added, "There's more in the box."

When I tipped the box slightly, I could see a large photo album. We sat side by side and looked through it together. The first half of the album included the pictures of us. I was truly impressed with the caliber of work Brittany had done.

Then I got to the second half of the album. Stephanie had done several solo shots. There was a series of pictures of her on a desk, wearing a black lace thong, heels, and my favorite tie. Another couple of pages included her stripping out of the flight attendant costume she'd worn at Halloween. The next several pages showed different shots and angles of her in various stages of undress. The final pages were of her fully nude, lying on the bed, tangled in the sheets.

I sucked in a much needed breath, and whispered, "Babe, you're beautiful."

Glancing over at her, I saw she was nervously chewing on her lip. "Are they alright?" she asked, then shook her head. "I can't believe I did this. These are for your eyes ONLY."

"Stephanie, I've made it very clear that I don't share. I'll lock this up in my safe and only look at it when we're alone. Thank you. You've given me the gift of yourself. I will treasure it."

We leaned into one another with our foreheads pressed together, enjoying our first Christmas morning in the peaceful quiet.

The remainder of the morning passed too quickly, then it was time to go to the Plum's. I couldn't help but worry over the type of gift Edna had purchased for us.

Edna stood sentry at the door when we pulled into the drive. The Kloughn's mini-van was parked at the curb. Stephanie moaned, and I had to stop myself from moaning as well. The small house would be filled with noise and chaos.

We sat for a long time in the Hummer, working up the courage to go inside. Stephanie broke the silence first. "Let's get this over with. I'm apologizing in advance for anything my crazy family does."

"How bad can it be?" I decided on an optimistic approach. _Hell, I've been through worse, right?_

"Carlos! I can't believe you just said that. We're doomed," she groaned as she pushed her door open.

As we walked towards the house, we could see that Edna was dressed in an elf's outfit. She wore a low-cut, blindingly green top with a too-short red skirt, fishnet stockings, and red heels that she was teetering on precariously.

"Stephanie! Hot Stuff! Merry Christmas!" she greeted as she threw the door open wide.

I drew up close to Stephanie's back, in a move born out of my self-preservation training. When we crossed the threshold, Edna snagged my right arm, halting my progress into the house. I shot my eyebrow up at her in question, and she pointed to the mistletoe hanging above the doorframe.

Edna puckered up, and before I could untangle my hand from around Stephanie's waist, Edna's lips were pressed against mine. I stopped dead, my body frozen in shock. Stephanie's head whipped around to see what had caused my sudden halt.

"Grandma!" she scolded, pushing her away from me.

"Mistletoe, baby girl!" she defended as she pointed to the sprig.

Frank came into the hallway and slapped me on the back. "Carlos, how about we go out back to the garage?"

I brushed a quick kiss to Stephanie's temple and followed Frank through the house. He poured me three fingers of whiskey, and I slammed it back in one gulp. Frank picked up the bottle to pour me more, but I waved him off.

"I'm pulling the night shift at RangeMan. Normally, I'd never drink when I've got duty coming up soon, but I really needed something."

"That woman is a damn nuisance," Frank agreed. "I was hoping that old fart she met down in Miami would sweep her off her feet and out of my house! No such luck," he said, hanging his head.

We stayed outside as long as we could, then headed back into the house. The final dishes were being placed on the table. Stephanie pulled me to the side and apologized for her grandmother's behavior. I brushed it off, telling her it wasn't a big deal.

"Liar," she teased, before heading back to the kitchen to help her mom.

Dinner was the usual insane event, resulting in me wearing a good portion of Mary Alice's grape juice. The gift opening began, and I opened the gift from Edna with trepidation. It was two books; one was a Betty Crocker cookbook, and the other a book on Kama Sutra. The front cover of the book was black with red lettering, and I could tell by the expression on Stephanie's face that she had no idea what the title meant. I placed my hand over the top of the book before she could open it.

"Babe, not here. Wait until we get home."

"Huh?"

I whispered into her ear, "It's an ancient practice of sexual positions."

"Grandma!" she gasped. Edna smiled brightly at us.

Six o'clock rolled around, and we began saying our good-byes. As we made our way to the door, Frank thanked us for the fourth time for the week-long cruise to Italy. Edna had thankfully called her good-bye from the stairs. She was heading to her room to call her friends and arrange their trip to Atlantic City. Helen gave us each a hug, thanked us for the generous gift, and reminded us about Morelli's wedding tomorrow, before we left the house.

Stephanie asked if she could join me on monitor duty when we arrived at RangeMan. I agreed, because I wasn't ready to say goodnight to her yet. Even though we'd be busy with work, at least we'd be together. We went up to the apartment to deposit our gifts and change into our work clothes. I strapped on all my weapons, in case I needed to leave to go check a property.

It was about two in the morning when the alarm went off for one of our bigger accounts. I motioned to Woody, grabbed the handheld walkie-talkie, kissed Stephanie quickly on the top of her head, and raced out of the room.

Since the account was only a couple of blocks from the office, we were the first to arrive. A man was running down the alley, so Woody and I gave chase. I tackled the suspect from behind, and he cursed loudly as we fell to the ground. I saw the flash of the blade a moment before it sliced through my bicep. Red hot pain pulsed through the wound, but it didn't stop me from landing a punch to the center of the guy's face, rendering him unconscious.

"Fuck, Ranger, how bad is it?" Woody asked, concern lacing his voice as the blood poured out of the cut.

**TBC**

_Okay, don't kill me! I'm sorry, I didn't get Joe married off. I PROMISE, it _will_ happen next chapter and the guys head to Miami!_ Please review, it brightens my day. Thanks!


	22. So much more

**Best Wishes**

Chapter 22-So much more

Disclaimer: Shamelessly playing with JE's toys for my, our, enjoyment.

Author's notes: Special thanks to all the wonderful people who review, both my stories and those of my fellow authors.

If you don't review stories regularly, please, make an effort. It's the only way we know that you're enjoying our work. FanFiction tells us how much traffic our stories get, and yet, sadly, the ratio of reviews to readers is not that great, for all the different calibers of writers, not just myself. I'm saying this because of something that's happened to my friend and fellow writer this week. Thanks for listening; I'll step off my soapbox now.

I treasure each review I get and I absolutely love those of you who PM in response to the plot questions! This week was a two part question. All but one agreed on chapter length. I've taken your recommendations to heart! In response to the second part, he will get a girl. LOL. Now, we're just going to have to pick which one it'll be. Stay tuned! Here's my shout out to this week's players: siriusyellowlab, SapphireJ, tropical screamer, forever babe, Barb4psu, Barb117, Rangemansbabe, rangerslee, janetfan150, time4tea, LIZ03, ty93, Batman's Bombshell, girliegirl79 and rangersluvin.

Thanks to Cara for her researching abilities and her unwavering friendship. Jenny, (JenRar), you are the Queen of Commas and Smut. All hail the queen! You're a great Beta, too! Love ya, Babe!

**SPOV**

The squawk of the handheld, two-way radio startled me out of my near-comatose state.

"Stephanie? You read me?" Woody's voice held just an edge of panic.

I grabbed the radio, suppressed the button, and spoke. "Yeah, Woody?"

"Can you come down to the account's location?"

"Sure? Why?"

I was confused. I mean, Carlos was right there, why did they need me?

"Um," Woody hesitated, "one of us needs to stay with the suspect to wait for the PD, and the other needs to take Ranger to the ER. He's been stabbed."

"HE'S BEEN WHAT!? Call an ambulance!" I screamed.

Fear clenched at my stomach, my heart raced, and my breathing reached near hyperventilating in the few short seconds that had passed.

"He's refusing medical treatment right now," Woody said with irritation. "Can you just come down? We're only about three blocks from RangeMan."

"I'm on my way," I barked into the radio as I grabbed my purse.

I called over my shoulder to Brett as I ran for the stairs, telling him to wake Bobby and Lester, then send Bobby to the hospital and Lester to the control room to relieve Carlos and me.

I pulled the door open and ran down the stairs. When I bolted out of the garage's stairwell door, I ran smack into Raphael. He was apparently just coming in for the night, heading to an empty RangeMan apartment.

He immediately reached out, steadying me with strong hands on my shoulders. "Whoa, sis, where you running off to in such a hurry? Run out of lubricant or whipped cream? Do you have my brother tied to the bed upstairs?" he asked with a smirk on his face and a single eyebrow cocked.

I wrenched my shoulders free of his grasp, then popped him in stomach with my fist, hard. "No, you idiot! He's been stabbed by a suspect. I'm trying to get to the scene, and you're holding me up!" I yelled at him as I headed for the Hummer we'd used to go to my parents.

Luckily, even in my agitated state, I'd remembered to grab the keys from the monitoring desk where Carlos had placed them earlier.

"Stephanie! Wait!" Raphael called as I raced towards the vehicle. "Throw me the keys. I'll drive. You're in no condition to be behind the wheel."

The 'Burg girl in me wanted to rip Raphael a new one for giving an order and expecting me to blindly follow it, but that would waste time, and it simply wasn't worth the effort right now. I threw the keys at him, then ran around to the passenger side of the Hummer. We sped out of the garage. Raphael executed a hard left turn after I gave him the address of the account.

We could see flashing lights as we drove closer to the scene. I hit the ground running before Raphael even got the Hummer pulled to a stop at the curb. I charged towards the group of people standing in the alley alongside the commercial building. I shoved my way to the center of the crowd, calling out Carlos' name as I pushed through people in my path. Raphael was mumbling apologies for me from his position directly at my back.

"Babe."

I heard the familiar voice call from the right, and I turned in that direction instantly. There he sat against the wall, bare-chested, with his jacket draped across the right side of his body talking to Big Dog. His t-shirt was wadded up and being held tight to his bicep by Woody. I dropped to my knees between his outstretched legs.

"Are you alright? How bad is it? It's just your arm? No other injuries? You need to go to the hospital!" I babbled, unable to stop myself.

I was the one that usually got hurt in these situations, not him. Somehow, it seemed easier to be the injured instead of the panicked. I thought back to all those times Carlos had arrived on the scene and brought the comfortable, smoothing calm to my ragged nerves with just his presence. I tried to channel a little 'Ranger' cool, then gave up. He was into this Zen thing, not me. I was a frantic girl from the 'Burg, usually powered only by my emotions and fueled by the situation I found myself in.

"Stephanie, I'm alright. It's only a cut. I'll need some stitches, that's all," he comforted, running his right hand down my arm. He pulled me to this chest and held me while he finished his report to Big Dog.

Woody and Raphael helped Carlos to his feet when all the formalities were taken care of. Raphael threw Carlos' right arm over his shoulders and helped him to the Hummer. I ran ahead, opened the door, and crawled into the back seat. Carlos settled himself on the seat next to me, then Raphael drove us to St. Frances.

The roads were slick and snow-packed, causing Raphael to drive slower than he wanted, and resulting in a lot of cursing from the front seat.

"This is why I live in Miami," he grumbled.

Finally, we pulled under the Emergency Room pavilion of the hospital. Carlos gave a menacing look to the aide that came forward with a wheelchair. She quickly turned tail and motioned for us to follow her.

We were shown to a room at the end of the hall. Carlos was instructed to sit on the bed. I pulled up a chair close to his right leg, then dropped into it. Raphael leaned casually against the wall behind the door. I think the aide wanted to ask him to wait in the visitor's lounge, but after an equally threatening stare from him, she decided to drop the matter.

Nurse Gail Mangianni smiled broadly at me when she breezed into the room. "So it's Ranger this time and not you. This is a switch." She turned towards Carlos, big smile still in place. "Well, handsome, let's see what you've got."

Raphael laughed softly from the corner. "Damn, these Trenton women are fast! No foreplay, just straight to business. Maybe a move up here isn't such a bad idea."

Gail's head whipped around as she noticed Raphael for the first time. Color stained her cheeks when she caught his cocky smirk and the similar, striking Manoso features.

She stuttered, "I meant…his injury, not his…well…oh, never mind." As she turned back to examine Carlos, I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

The shirt was stuck to Carlos' skin, and I knew from experience, pulling it free hurt like the devil. He barely seemed to register the pain. Gail asked him to lay down, and used saline water to moisten the material before gently prying it from the wound. She tossed the ruined t-shirt in the trash when it was free of the scab, then dabbed at the now-bleeding cut with gauze. She moistened another gauze pad, laid it over the injury, and secured it around his arm with more gauze and tape.

"You'll need a plastic surgeon to stitch this up. It's going to be at least three layers of sutures. I'll go page her, then I'll be back. Do you want something for the pain?"

Carlos said, "No," softly, and she left the room.

He settled his head back against the pillow, then reached out and entwined our fingers together. After squeezing my hand just a bit, he heaved out a deep breath, closed his eyes, and seemed to relax.

I reached out to smooth back his hair, and he kissed the palm of my hand as I trailed my fingers down his face. I took a fortifying breath, which calmed my worried nerves. _He's fine_, _he's safe. It's okay._ I laid my head down next to his body on the bed. Without any words being spoken, I felt all the love and connection I shared with Carlos pass between our clasped hands. A peace settled over and around the small hospital room.

Raphael remained stoic and quiet in the corner. He seemed to understand that we were sharing an intimate moment, even though no words had been voiced, no looks exchanged, and aside from Carlos' bare chest, we were both fully clothed. His eyes met mine, and the expression on his face puzzled me. It held a look of longing and loneliness I thought I'd never see on the fun-loving playboy.

Bobby's voice could be heard from the corridor, and I raised my head as he entered the room.

"Hey, Boss. Bomber," he greeted, then noticed Raphael's presence in the room. "Rafe, man, it's good to see you! I heard you were in town, but hadn't caught up with you yet." They exchanged one of those complicated handshakes and traded slaps on the back. "I can't wait to see all those Miami beauties you have down there! I'm stoked!"

"Brown, I've got just the lady in mind for you! Wait until you see her. She's hooottt!" He drew the word out with a wink and jab to Bobby's arm. "I'll invite her over to my house with a few of her friends; they'll be good to go. They know how to party."

"Oh, fuck, man, the last time I partied at your house, I didn't think I was going to survive. It would have been a hell of a way to go, though! I'd have died a happy man," Bobby said with a contented smile stretching across his attractive face.

I was nearly drowning in the sea of testosterone that was quickly filling the room. I cleared my throat loudly, drawing their attention back to the matter at hand. Bobby took the hint and walked over to the side of the bed. His trained eyes swept over Carlos' body for all signs of injury. He carefully unwound the bandage and examined the wound.

Bobby basically repeated what Gail had said, then asked, "You need anything?"

"Rest. Which I was getting until you and Raphael started your orgy planning," Carlos responded, wearing a slightly pissed off expression.

"Dude, he's just jealous because it's 'game over' for him now that he's engaged," Raphael quirked from the corner.

"Raphael!" Carlos barked threateningly. "This is not the time or the place for this type of discussion," he said, his eyes flipping over to me. "I'm not the least bit jealous. I have more sitting here with me right now than you'll ever find at one of your parties." His dark brown eyes met his brother's again. "Stephanie's going to be my wife. Please show her some respect," he finished in a scolding tone.

Carlos' little speech startled everyone in the room to silence. He'd definitely been more vocal with his thoughts and emotions since we'd started dating. The guys hadn't gotten to see this side of him yet, so they didn't know how to respond. I gave him a small smile, squeezing our clasped hands tightly for a moment.

"Bro, I'm sorry…" Raphael stated quietly, but was cut off by the arrival of the plastic surgeon.

Then he was struck speechless by the all-business, straight forward, rail-thin, very attractive strawberry blonde that entered the room. Bobby slugged his arm, shook his head, and gave Raphael a cocky, knowing smile.

"Mr. Manoso," she said with the hint of an Irish accent as she hooked the physician's stool with her foot and dragged it up next to the bed. Her hand extended in greeting to Carlos. "I'm Dr. O'Reilly."

They exchanged handshakes, then she crossed to the sink and washed her hands with practiced efficiency. She turned to survey the room as she dried her hands and snapped her surgical gloves into place. Her eyes swept across mine, then settled on Bobby and Raphael.

"Bobby," she spoke with familiarity.

He inclined his head, and said, "Hey, Susan."

"I can take it from here," she told him. "I'll get him sewn up, give him some antibiotics, and he'll be on his way. No need for you to wait around." Her gaze turned to Raphael. "Who are you?"

Raphael remained motionless until Bobby elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Ouch, you fucker!" he barked at the other man.

"Sir, I won't tolerate that sort of language in my treatment room. You and Bobby can go." She turned on her heel, clearly dismissing them.

Bobby grabbed his arm and started to pull him towards the door. Raphael jerked his arm free, then planted his feet and stated, "I'm his brother. I stay, Dr. O'Reilly. Besides, I drove them here." He slid that sexy wolf grin into place, the one I'm sure had led countless numbers of women to his bed.

Dr. O'Reilly was clearly unaffected as she looked back over her shoulder at Raphael. "Well, then, Mr. Manoso," she spoke with an authoritative tone, "you may wait in the lounge, not here."

She held his stare, but didn't return his smile. They stood, still locked in a visual showdown, until Bobby broke the trance.

"Give Bomber the keys to the truck. I'll take you back to RangeMan, and she can drive Ranger when he's done."

Raphael dug into the pocket of his tight jeans and withdrew the keys to the Hummer. He crossed the room, dropping them into my outstretched hand without breaking eye contact with Dr. O'Reilly.

I blew out a sigh of relief when he and Bobby left the room, the door closing with a click behind them.

"Quite the charmer you have there for a brother, Mr. Manoso," Dr. O'Reilly observed with a wry smile, then continued, "Based on what I've read from your record, I don't really need to go over this procedure with you, do I?"

"No, I'm aware of what has to be done," Carlos said clearly.

Dr. O'Reilly caught my attention with her eyes as she loaded a syringe with a local anesthetic. "Ms. Plum, I understand from the hospital fodder that you spend a lot of time in here as well. Do you want to stay while I stitch him up, or would you prefer to wait in the lounge?"

"I'll stay, if it's alright with you," I replied.

"Fine with me," she said as she injected Carlos in several different places with the anesthetic.

He didn't even flinch, but I had to look away. I knew that really stung, and could only wish I had his pain threshold.

"What a way to end our first Christmas, in the Emergency Room," I mumbled just loud enough for Carlos and the doctor to hear. I was trying to cut some of the tension I was feeling from watching his tissue being sewn back together.

Carlos gave me a smile and brought our clasped hands to his mouth, placing a kiss on the back of my hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you two were married," Dr. O'Reilly spoke up without breaking stride in her work.

"We're not, yet. The wedding's in June," I told her. "Just our first as a couple."

"Hmm," she replied, then added, "One of the nurses here is marrying a local cop this afternoon. Half the staff asked off. Since, I'm new here, I'm pulling a double shift to pick up the shortage."

"Ah, yeah, Joe Morelli's marrying her. We're invited. I don't know if we'll be able to go now that Carlos is hurt."

"Don't see why not. He's been through worse, from what I read in his chart." Her eyes flipped briefly to Carlos' face. "You know the drill, right?"

"Yes."

She completed her job, then wrote out a prescription for oral antibiotics to boost the injection she gave Carlos before she left.

It was nearly eight a.m. by the time we returned to RangeMan. Carlos stopped on five to check in with the guys, and I went straight upstairs.

I was already snuggled down in the bed by the time he made it into the bedroom. I rolled to my back to watch him strip out of his clothes. Hey, I was going to be ready to assist him if he needed help. Watching him get naked was simply a very nice side benefit. In that one-handed from the back of the shirt, sexy male way, he pulled off the black t-shirt he was wearing. I'd retrieved it from the bag kept in the Hummer for instances like the one we'd found ourselves in earlier this morning.

The white bandage blared in contrast to his dark, mocha-colored skin. He'd already removed his boots before coming into the room, so when he dropped his cargo pants, he stepped unhindered out of them. He stood there in all his naked perfection. The bandage only notched up his sexiness and added that touch of danger to the overall impressiveness of him. _And__ boy, was he 'impressive' right __now!_

He chuckled, and I didn't even have to ask if I'd said it out loud. I knew from his reaction. "Glad you like what you see, Babe," he whispered as he stroked himself shamelessly in front of me.

I licked my lips in anticipation, then motioned him forward with the universal 'come here' sign. "Let me," I offered smoothly.

As he crawled carefully up onto the bed, I grasped his cock tightly with my hand and guided it to my mouth. He leaned forward, supporting his weight on his right arm, letting the injured arm hang loose at this side. I delivered licks and nips to the velvet hardness of the head of his cock, then engulfed most of his length within my mouth, sucking hard.

He barked out a sharp, "Fuck!" and I hummed an affirmative sound that vibrated against his sensitive flesh. He growled out in pleasure. Deciding he liked that feeling, I continued for several long, delectable minutes. My fingers strayed south to toy with his balls, and when I realized they were drawing up tight, I stopped and pushed gently at his chest. He took the cue, and slowly lowered himself to the bed on his back.

'_Burg girl, up!_ I threw my leg over his waist, held his cock straight up, and mounted him in one quick, fluid motion. The moisture that had pooled between my legs aided in allowing me to slide him all the way home.

Carlos' jaw was set tight, his head thrown back slightly, and the veins in his neck rose to the surface as his skin pulled taut. He was the picture of male rapture, completely lost in the feeling of being buried to the hilt within me.

I rested back on my hands between his spread legs, altering the position so the tip of his cock pressed against just the right place inside me. I moaned at the pleasant pressure it caused.

He bucked his hips up off the bed and drove himself into my g-spot. I came instantly with a scream.

"That's it, Babe," he encouraged as he continued to thrust up, prolonging the orgasm.

I sat back up straight, taking hold of the reins to this rodeo, and began to bounce up and down on him as if I were riding away from a bank robbery. The pace was fast and hard. My thighs started to protest with the effort of the movement. I stopped, brought my knees up, and settled my feet flat on either side of his hips. The squatting position deepened his penetration, but I wanted more. I leaned forward, and his hands immediately cupped my ass. _Right where I wanted them._

I brushed kisses against the side of his face, then traced my tongue along his ear, before whispering, "I want more."

"Babe?"

Too embarrassed to speak the words aloud, I took his right hand and placed it between my cheeks, along my crack.

His body went still, except for the twitch of his cock against my inner walls and the slight rise and fall of his chest. "Are you sure?" he asked with surprise.

I nodded my head where it laid on his shoulder. "If it, umm, won't hurt your arm," I mumbled. At least, I still had enough wits about me to worry about him.

"I'm fine, Babe," he assured me, then continued in a calm manner. "Let's try this then. Spin around and grab hold of my ankles to leverage yourself, so you can move on me. Keep your feet flat like you have them, only facing the other direction."

Again, I nodded in understanding, and he continued, "Try to relax, don't tense up. I'll know if it's too much, and I'll stop."

When I lifted my head to assume the position he'd said, I wouldn't look directly at his face. I was nervous, wondering if I was ready for this, and more than a little embarrassed that I'd initiated it.

Both of his hands reached out and cradled my face, tipping it up so I was forced to look at him. "Babe, trust me. I won't hurt you, and there's no room for embarrassment between us."

Our lips crashed together, and we shared a kiss that had me ready to try anything. I released my mouth from his, smiled, and pinched his nipples, causing him to jump and push up into me. We both moaned in reflex. Then I spun around on his cock, facing away from him. I stretched out and grabbed hold of his ankles.

He let me ride him for several minutes before I felt his wet finger press against my puckered hole.

Since he'd been touching me more there, and I was ready for it, I didn't jump or flinch away. I willed myself to relax. Needing to distract myself, I continued the pace I'd set. I focused on the feeling of his cock and the fullness of it within my pussy. I felt a tight pressure at my back entrance, but kept my attention on the front.

"Babe, rub your clit," he suggested from behind me.

A fresh wave of embarrassment threatened to take me under. Using my right hand, I gently flicked at my bundle of nerves, and I felt him slowly slide his thick finger into me. It hurt, just a bit, so I renewed my effort to relax and rubbed furiously at my clit.

His left hand stroked gently at my hip in a smoothing fashion, then lifted slightly to encourage me to continue the tempo on his cock.

I was overwhelmed with sensations. The discomfort had eased, and the feeling of fullness had reached new heights. His finger stilled inside me, his hand following my movements as I rode him.

The mother of all orgasms was thundering towards home. I sat back slightly, pushing his cock deep and trapping the finger buried in my ass. When his left hand reached up, wrapped around me, and tugged at my left nipple, I flew over the edge with a shout. Just as I was riding out the last wave, I felt him pulse inside me, and the warmth of his ejaculation spurted against my walls.

I lifted myself off his partially erect cock, and he gently withdrew his finger from my ass. The need to be held saturated my mind, so I twisted around until I lay at his right side. His arm pulled me into his body, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

Carlos seemed to understand that I didn't want to talk about the experience, so silence cloaked the room. I could hear the steady rhythm of his heart and feel the tender caress of his fingertips along my spine.

It was only a matter of time before a trip to the bathroom would be necessary. I basked in the afterglow of the incredible round of lovemaking we'd just shared. No matter how many times we were together, it always felt new in some way.

Now, I'd truly crossed into the realm of anal sex, and I was okay with it. The pain had been minimal compared to the time with had slipped once and hit the wrong hole, or so he'd said, and it had really hurt. Looking back, I remember how he'd pretty much shoved it inside quickly with no preparation or concern for any discomfort.

Carlos had taken things nice and slow, which had truly made all the difference. Well, that and the fact that I trusted Carlos and knew without a doubt that tonight's experience was more about my enjoyment than his. Oh, I knew that this was only the beginning of this new type of sexual endeavor for me, and that Carlos wanted a lot more than one finger up my ass. Still, he would wait until I was ready before he pushed any further, simply to reach his own fulfillment.

The bathroom trip had reached a critically level, so I untangled myself from his embrace. He released me without a word, and I quickly went to go take care of my business in the bathroom.

When I returned to the bedroom, Carlos was entering from the living room, carrying a bottle of water and the Tylenol.

Guilt flooded me. "Carlos, I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have done that tonight. We should've just gone to sleep."

"Stephanie, I'm not complaining. Not at all. The anesthesia is fading away, and I wanted something to take the edge off so I could get some sleep."

I crossed the room and took the bottle from his hand, then opened it and shook two tablets out into his palm. He popped the pills into his mouth, then took a long shallow from the water before offering the remainder to me. I drained the bottle, tossed it into the trash can, then we lay down in bed. He spooned his body against mine, brushed a kiss to my temple, and we both drifted into a peaceful rest.

We woke at four p.m. I was jerked awake by the ringing of my cell phone. It was still in my purse, left on the side table in the hallway. _Shit!_ We'd missed Joe's wedding, and I didn't have to wonder who was calling to remind me of that fact. Mom had stressed how important it was for us to be present at the church, when I told her we thought we'd just drop into the reception for a few minutes. Mom was very concerned about the perceived notion of rudeness the 'Burg still held regarding only attending the reception.

I could tell Carlos wasn't sleeping, so I whipped around in bed. "We missed Joe's wedding!"

"Babe, we can still go to the reception like we'd originally planned."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sure the phone call is Mom scolding me for not being at the wedding."

"Then I'm glad you didn't answer it," he said brushing a tendril of my hair away from my face. We sat up, then rose from the bed. "Let's get moving. I can't get my stitches wet for two days, so I'll need help with my shower."

"I'm good in the shower," I saucily replied over my shoulder.

"Don't I know it, Babe."

I stood wrapped in my damp towel in the closet, where I chose a royal blue, capped-sleeved, wrap-style dress with a black shawl-like sweater to cover my arms and keep me warm. Carlos walked naked into the dressing area of the closet and grabbed his black Armani suit, black shirt, and a tie that matched the color of my dress.

We ate a quick meal that Ella had delivered while we were showering. After a brief stop on the fifth floor to check on everything, and to tell the guys we'd meet them at the airport by nine, we were on our way to the Trenton KC Hall.

Carlos pulled the Cayenne to a stop under the awning of the hall, then came around to open my door and help me from the SUV. He brushed a kiss to my forehead, then told me he'd park and be right back.

The parking lot was full, so I prepared for a bit of a wait. A few smokers were huddled together, enjoying their cigarettes. I recognized a couple fimiliar faces, and gave them a finger wave and a smile.

The doors to the hall opened, a blast of warm air and music escaped, and I felt the familiar hand of Joe Morelli settle on my shoulder. When I turned my head to look at his hand, my eyes caught sight of his gold wedding band.

"Stephanie, I thought you'd decided not to come," Joe spoke with a slight slur to his words.

Looks like the groom was well on his way to being plastered on his wedding night. I was repulsed and felt a twinge of sadness for his bride.

Here was yet another obvious reason why Carlos was the better choice. I knew he'd be stone-sober on our wedding night, wanting to remember every detail of our first time together as husband and wife.

"Congratulations, Joe. Sorry, we're late. Carlos had an incident with a robbery suspect early this morning, and we spent several hours in the ER."

"Oh. Is he alright?"

Joe seemed to ask the question because it was expected, not for any real interest in the answer.

"Yes, he's fine. He's parking the car. He didn't want me to have to walk through the snow in my heels."

Joe nodded his head in understanding, then looked at me with a gaze that clearly spoke of his inebriated state. "He takes good care of you, doesn't he? Better than I ever did. Probably better than I'll do with Beth. Hell, I haven't even known her that long. We mainly got married because of the baby."

I sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving for bringing Carlos into my life. "Joe, don't say that. Look how long we've know each other, and that didn't make any difference for us. You can have a good life with her, but you've got to put in some effort. Good relationships take work, compromise, and friendship."

_Look__ out, Dr. __Phil, Stephanie__ Plum is dishing out relationship advice!_

My Carlos radar began to tingle, and I raised my eyes to meet his face as he approached from across the parking lot. "Be happy, Joe," I whispered, before I walked the few steps to Carlos' side.

His left hand immediately went to the small of my back, and he extended his right hand to Joe. "Congratulations, Morelli."

"Thanks, Manoso. I guess I'd better get inside. The guys were lining up another round of shots. Save me a dance, okay, Stephanie?" Joe called as he turned to go back into the hall.

We watched as he walked unsteadily down the hallway and up to the bar.

"I love you, Carlos Manoso," I said with all the emotion I was feeling.

**RPOV**

When I noticed them standing together, my first thought was that they didn't compliment each other the way we did. I realized they never had, she was always meant to be mine. His hand was on her shoulder, but it wasn't offering comfort. It was simply a resting place for his hand. They were having an interchange that appeared serious, not happy. I slowed my steps, allowing them more time to air out the things that needed to be said between them.

Stephanie's head came up when she realized I'd returned from parking the Cayenne. Her face lit up, and her mouth formed a warm smile. I felt ten feet tall and bullet-proof when she came to stand at my side.

Morelli's voice, along with the stagger of his steps, told me he was well on his way to a good drunk. What a fool. This was supposed to be one of the best nights of his life, and he'd be unconscious and a burden to his already pregnant wife by the time the reception was over. Stupid fuck.

Frank and Helen crossed the room and showed us to their table. Edna was out of the dance floor doing the Macarena. Her hips were swinging around seductively, and when she gave me a wink, turned, and shook her ass with the music, my dinner rolled uncomfortably in my stomach. Frank poured me a beer and pulled out a seat to his left, thankfully away from the direction of the dance floor.

Stephanie explained our absence at the wedding in a voice only loud enough for them to hear over the music. Her parents both asked about my injury, and I assured them I was fine.

The first strands of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" began to play. I reached out my hand to Stephanie in silent invitation. Her fingers settled into my palm, and I led her to the dance floor. Our bodies slid together without either of us having to think about it. Stephanie's head rested on my shoulder, and I leaned mine against hers. The lyrics of the song spoke to us on many levels. When the last strains of the music faded away, I lifted Stephanie's head and kissed her as if my very life depended on it.

Her face was a pretty shade of pink as we made our way back to the table where her parents were seated. Helen had gotten a piece of wedding cake for each of us. It had too much icing to suit my taste, and I pushed it towards Stephanie. She devoured her piece and mine without complaint.

We watched as Morelli partied with the guys from the PD, and Beth with her friends. I noticed they spent very little time together, and had only been on the dance floor once since we'd arrived. I didn't plan on letting Stephanie more than an arm's reach away from me for most of our wedding day.

Morelli stumbled over to our table about an hour later. His words were slurred even worse than before as he asked Stephanie to dance.

"Sorry, Joe. Carlos and I need to be leaving. The guys are waiting for us at the airport."

Morelli looked disappointed as he said, "Okay, well, bye. Thanks for coming."

If Stephanie had agreed to dance with him, I wouldn't have objected. Watching her in his arms would have been painful, though, and I was thankful I wouldn't have to witness it tonight.

We told the Plums good-bye, waved at Edna, who was back on the dance floor, and talked to a few people we knew on our way to the door. I went to get the Cayenne while she waited in the lobby. By eight-thirty, we were heading towards the airport.

When we arrived at the airfield, Raphael had already pulled the jet out of the hanger, and had the engines running. The running lights were all lit as he did the walk around inspection. I parked the Cayenne in the hanger. Stephanie was shivering, so I told her to go ahead and board. I asked Tank to grab the one large box we'd consolidated all our gifts into, carry it aboard the plane, and place it in the closet of the bedroom.

Raphael volunteered to pilot the flight home. I was relieved, and happily joined Stephanie on the couch in the main cabin as we took off. Her fingernails bit into my leg as Raphael raced us down the runway. I rubbed her hand gently as we bounced through a couple of turbulent spots, then leveled out.

The guys had been talking about all their big plans for their time in Miami, when Santos looked over at me. "So are we still going to catch some air time with Eagle? Is Stephanie coming along, too?"

I nodded my head, and Santos and Brown shouted, "Ooh rah!"

"Air time?" Stephanie inquired.

Tank spoke up before I could answer her. "Fuck, man, she hates to fly, and you want her to do that?"

"Hey!" Stephanie defended. "I'm getting better about flying."

"Oh, yeah?" Tank asked with a chuckle. "Well, how do you feel about flying without the plane?"

"Huh?" Stephanie looked over to me.

"Babe, there's that little matter of payback for the whole Brittany ordeal."

"You liked that, remember?" she whispered into my ear.

"I did, that's true. But I told you you'd pay for leading me on like you did," I reminded her of my promise.

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders. "I still don't understand what this all has to do with air time."

"They're taking you skydiving, Bomber," Tank supplied, while Brown and Santos shot high fives at one another.

"Sk…skk…sky...diving?" she stuttered out.

"Payback's are a bitch, Babe."

**TBC**

_Author's end notes: I've dedicated myself to weekly updates and since the start of Best Wishes have only taken one week off. However, it will be two weeks before I update again. Real life isn't going to allow a moments extra time to write in the coming week. I'm sorry. Have no doubts that I'll be back May 11__th__ with the next chapter. Party in Miami with the guys! Oh, and Steph's going to jump out of a plane, LOL! Thanks for your understanding and patience with me. I appreicate your review._


	23. Free Fallin'

**Best Wishes**

Chapter 23-Free Fallin'

Disclaimer: JE owns them, I fantasize about them.

Author's note: Thanks to all of you that reviewed last chapter. It officially became my biggest reviewed chapter so far. I truly humbled. THANK YOU! The anonymous and first time reviewers, well, you rock!

Special thanks to this week's plot strategizing reviewers: siriusyellowlab, SapphireJ, ty93, tropicalscreamer, Barb117, rangerslee, Barb4psu, time4tea, and forever babe. Ladies, you don't disappoint. Ranger was impressed, especially since all of you had basically the same idea. So he's taking your advice to heart and planning accordingly. The result will be up in a couple chapters!

My heartfelt thanks to my terrific friend and Beta, Jenny (JenRar), if you haven't read her stuff, do yourself a favor and check it out! She's great!

**SPOV**

"What's wrong, Beautiful? You're looking a little green," Lester said, slapping Bobby on the arm. "Man, she has that same look Tank had at basic, remember?"

Bobby's face creased into a huge smile. "Oh, hell yeah, first time I ever saw a brother that black turn that white!"

"Shut the fuck up, Brown!" Tank barked out, but Bobby continued, undeterred.

"Shit, the DI had to pry his fingers from the jump door and shove his ass out." Bobby looked over at Tank, smile still firmly planted in place. "You screamed like a girl all the way down."

Carlos and the guys laughed at the memory.

"When he finally landed, he lay on the ground, clutching the grass and thanking God he was still alive," Lester added.

Tank shook his head. "When I realized most of our missions, hell, damn near all of them, involved jumping into location, I nearly transferred out of the Rangers."

Carlos spoke up. "Couldn't let you do that, man. You were part of our team."

"Yeah, you and Eagle damn near killed me. Every fuckin' day I had time off, one of you was shoving me out of a plane!"

"You had to get over the fear," Carlos stated quietly.

"Well, guess what? It didn't fucking work!" Tank said sarcastically. "That is the one true reward of being out of the Rangers. No more jumping out of perfectly good, functioning airplanes."

"After about the fifth time, you didn't scream _all_ the way down." Carlos smiled at Tank.

Tank popped Carlos in the shoulder, hard. I was sure if he'd hit me like that, I'd have been halfway across the small cabin.

My mind frantically began searching for a way out of this payback situation. Sure, I'd always wanted to fly…well, I'd given up on the literal version in my childhood, because look how that ended.

"You're not getting out of it, Babe," Carlos whispered, stroking my leg in a soothing way. His form of 'comfort' wasn't working, and even though I saw the determined set of his jaw, I couldn't help but at least try to change his mind.

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea for me." There was a nervous quiver to my tone, and I gave him my best 'puppy dog eyes' as I looked at him.

"Why not? It's a good skill to have. You've told me you wanted to fly, right?"

"Yeah, remember the last time I tried to fly? I jumped from maybe a ten foot drop and broke my arm! Geez, I don't even want to know how high the jump is from a plane."

"It's 13,000 feet, Beautiful," Lester helpfully supplied.

I gulped and started to choke, and Carlos began slapping me on the back while he shot a deadly glare at Lester. "Not helping, Santos," he warned.

Silence descended over the cabin, until Raphael's voice came across the main speaker, stating that we were on final approach.

We loaded into the Suburban and headed towards home. I snuggled into Carlos' right side as Tank drove. The guys started to make their plans for rest of the evening, but I was too tired to pay attention and drifted off to sleep.

"Babe," Carlos' sexy timbre penetrated my slumber.

"Hmm. I'm tired, Batman. Not now. Wanna go back to sleep."

"Shut down cold. And you ain't even married yet. That's sad," Lester's voice was quiet and sympathetic. "See, you should come party with us," he suggested to Carlos.

I bolted upright when I realized we had company and I wasn't snuggled in bed with my fiancé. "Oh! We're still in the drive. Sorry." I apologized as I looked into Carlos' deep brown eyes.

Carlos brushed back several loose tendrils from my forehead and lightly kissed my brow. I could see Tank and Raphael carrying our luggage into the house. Carlos gave me a quick squeeze and opened his door. He guided me towards the house, tucked tightly against his right side. We fell into step together without conscious thought. All I wanted to do was get upstairs, get out of this dress, ditch these awesome, yet painful, FMPs, and fall face first into our luxurious sheets.

"I'll be happy to help," Carlos whispered, "especially with the getting your clothes off part."

"Damn ESP," I muttered under my breath. "G'night, guys," I called as we headed for the steps.

Carlos led me to the bed, where I plopped down as he bent to remove my shoes. I shed my sweater, while he went to work on the buckles of the heels. I received a gentle massage to my sore feet once they were free of their imprisonment. His hands snaked up my legs and under the hem of the dress, and his mouth followed the progression of his hands. I trembled as his fingers snagged the thin string of my panties and began pulling them down. When his lips reached my inner thighs, he pushed my dress past my waist.

I fell back onto the bed with a sigh when his warm breath sent shivers dancing along my skin. I moaned softly as his tongue flicked out to stroke at my clit. Strong, persistent fingers parted the delicate, tender folds, then he sucked my bundle of nerves between his teeth.

My eyelids felt like they were weighted by concrete blocks, and it definitely wasn't all from exhaustion. The pleasure I was receiving from his talented mouth forced my eyes closed so I could concentrate solely on the building tension of what was sure to be an explosive orgasm. Things were just reaching the critical, earthmoving point, when he suddenly stopped.

_What__ the?_

Through the lust-clouded fog, I heard the annoying, moment-killing, taunting voice of Raphael.

"Bro! Are you coming or not?" he yelled again from downstairs.

"_Someone's_ coming. I think that's the reason for the delay," Lester commented loudly, and several deep male laughs carried up to us.

"Sorry, Babe, I didn't mean for this to go this far. Dios, I can't resist you," he said quietly, gently rubbing his finger down my center. "The guys asked me to go with them for a while. Do you mind?"

"No, I don't. Go. Have a good time. I'll be asleep before you lock the front door."

"I'll be down in five," he called out to the guys as he pulled his tie loose and slid his suit coat off, heading for the dressing room to change.

I debated with myself about the absolute necessity of removing my make-up. The good, healthy skin angel won out over the tempting, sleep motivated devil, but it was a close call. Resigned, I rose from the bed and padded over to the closet to grab my robe. When I arrived in the doorway, I stopped dead in my tracks at the sexy, naked form of my fiancé.

_Damn__, I was one lucky woman!_

He flashed me the full 1,000 watt smile before pulling on his snug fitting jeans, and while not as good as him naked, still struck a very heart-stopping picture. He stood bare-chested, the top button of the jeans undone as he reached for a black, long-sleeved, intricately printed silk shirt. The material shimmered across his firm chest stretched along the wide span of his shoulders. The top two buttons he left open, exposing some of his gorgeous mocha-colored skin.

Sexy didn't begin to describe him, and I briefly wondered if I shouldn't just chain him to our bed instead of letting him leave the house. Really, I saw it as a public service. A man that looked as good as he did should be licensed as a lethal weapon, and I wasn't referring to his military-trained skills. Ricardo and Maria Manoso had done good work!

"Babe."

I discreetly checked for drool, then reached for my robe. His hands settled on either side of my face, and he tilted my head up, looking into my eyes. "I love you, Stephanie," he whispered immediately before his lips claimed mine. The kiss rocked my world and ended entirely too quickly. "I'll be home in a couple of hours." He pressed one last kiss to my forehead and left the room.

By the time I finished in the bathroom, I could barely put one foot in front of the other, I was so tired. Carlos had flipped back the covers on my side of the bed before he'd left. The small courtesy wasn't lost on me, even in nearly comatose state.

I pulled his pillow against my chest, then as as the scent of Bvlargi filled my nostrils, I sighed deeply and drifted off to sleep.

**RPOV**

Santos' life expectance was going to be cut short by several years if he didn't stop fucking with me. The man was a pain in the ass, relative or no, just as he always had been. He had a comment ready for me as soon as I walked out onto the pool deck where they were waiting.

"Did ya get some?" he taunted.

"Fuck off, Santos."

"Plan to, man, later tonight; hopefully more than once. Raphael's going to hook us up!"

The guys exchanged _hell yeahs_.I shook my head, then headed for the garage.

Since I wasn't going back to Raphael's after the club, I decided to drive separately. They piled into the Suburban as I revved the engine on the Lamborghini. I rarely drove this car anymore, because I'd sort of deemed it Stephanie's. She looked so fucking hot driving it. Funny, when I bought it, I'd considered what she'd look like behind the wheel. And damn, the reality hadn't disappointed.

Raphael turned the Suburban around, and I followed them downtown. We were heading for Illusions, the club we'd been to before the whole Brittany ordeal. I parked in front, and gave the bouncer a fifty dollar bill to watch the car.

When we walked into the club, we gathered some attention; mainly of the female variety, of course. The five of us were shown to a booth, front and center of the stage, by Juan, the owner. He and Raphael exchanged a few words as a round of Coronas was placed on our table.

"Fuck, man, who's the new talent, and what time does she go on?" Raphael asked Juan. "I don't wanna miss her!"

We all tracked where Raphael was looking. Our gazes landed on a truly beautiful Hispanic woman wearing a tight, short, white dress that clung to her body in all the right places. Her black hair fell halfway down her back. My eyes flicked back to Juan's. I noticed a startling resemblance between Juan and the woman, and a touch of anger in the man's face. My brother had just fucked up.

"Amigo, I'm going to let that slide since you didn't know," Juan stated as he motioned the woman forward. "Izzie, this is Raphael Manoso. Raphael, my sister, Isabella."

Raphael gave Juan a sheepish grin, then rose from his seat to greet her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Isabella." He was pouring it on thick as he reached for and captured her hand, pressing a kiss to the back before releasing it.

"Nice to meet you," she said, her eyes darting up shyly to look at Raphael.

The innocence had to be an act, considering where we all currently found ourselves. The innocent didn't frequent strip clubs. And seriously, how many late twenty something innocents were running around in Miami, or anywhere else for that matter?

"Isabella helps me run the business side of Illusions. In fact, she's part owner," Juan added, then looked closely at me. "You're Rafe's brother, aren't you?"

"Yes. Carlos Manoso," I said, extending my hand to him. "These are our friends, Bobby, Tank, and Lester," I said as I motioned to each man.

"I've heard a lot about you from Rafe, Carlos. Welcome to Illusions." Juan gave a hand signal, and our table was instantly swarmed with entertainers. "Enjoy, gentlemen. I'll check on you later." Juan turned on his heel and approached one of the waitresses.

The scantily-clothed women settled around the table, wedging themselves in positions between us. Raphael smiled warmly up at Isabella, who stood rooted to her spot. "Won't you join us, amor?"

Isabella blushed, shook her head furiously, and darted towards the office off to the side of the bar.

The barely clad woman between myself and Raphael purred up at him. "Baby, she's not woman enough for you. Hell, she's still a virgin," she quirked in a disgusted fashion. When she saw the flash of intrigue cross Raphael's face, she added, "I can act like one, if that turns you on, sugar." She batted her eyelashes innocently at Raphael, and when she rubbed her generous breasts against his arm, he snapped out of his trance.

"Oh, I don't know... I enjoy a woman who knows what she's doing and is willing to experiment," he challenged.

"Well, baby, you've found the right woman tonight. I'll try _anything_,"she promised, running her hand up towards his crotch. Her hand made to do a similar gesture to me, and I stopped it forcibly at my knee, placing it firmly on top of the table.

"What's your problem, gorgeous?"

I shot her an intimidating stare. She winced and turned to Raphael for an explanation.

"He's engaged," Raphael looked over at me with a smirk on his face, then added, "and faithful."

"Damn, what a waste," she whispered, taking her hand that I'd placed on the table and running it across Raphael's chest.

I cuddled up with my Corona, and watched as each of the guys flirted and played with the women, lining up their partners for later on in the evening. I glanced at the woman currently stripping and working the pole. She was good. Damn good. And fuck, she was limber. But she did absolutely nothing for me, except make me ache for Stephanie and envision her in the stripper's place. I'm damn lucky I don't have to sustain myself anymore with visions or dreams. The real thing was waiting for me at home in our bed.

The guys laughed when I shook my head asthe woman danced directly in front of me_. __Yep, time to go home._ I nudged at the woman between Raphael and me in the booth. She whispered something up to him, then he glanced at his watch, looked at the guys, and money began to fall onto the table. Raphael raked it into a pile in front of him.

"What the fuck?" I demanded.

"I said you wouldn't last an hour. I won, with four minutes to spare. Damn, I thought I was going to lose to Tank. He had you pegged for an hour fifteen." Raphael smirked at me, then called the waitress over. "Next round's on me, set it up," he informed her as he slid out of the booth, dragging the woman between us with him.

I stood and looked first at Brown, then Santos. "Remember, 0800, we've got a jump. I'll pick you up from Raphael's at 0730. Don't get wasted. Drunk at 13,000 isn't smart."

"Yes, Daddy," Santos sarcastically replied.

"I can arrange for you to leave the plane in a crate, over a third world country, smartass," I threatened, thinking that wasn't a bad idea at all. Hell, I could probably even get Stephanie on board with the idea.

As I walked towards the exit, I ran into Brittany and several of her friends.

"Carlos!" she exclaimed.

I could smell the alcohol on her as she gave me an affectionate hug. "Hey, Brittany."

"Where's Steph? Is Rafe here?"

"Steph's at home, where I'm heading now. Raphael's over there." I pointed to the booth next to the stage.

Her eyes found my brother, and I noticed the flash of irritation cross her features. The stripper was sitting in Raphael's lap, with his face buried between her breasts. A movement of white from the bar area caught my attention, and I saw Isabella watching my brother as well. This was bound to get interesting, but not as much as what I had waiting for me at home.

I was horny as hell, a condition I planned on remedying as soon as I got into our bed. I bade Brittany and her friends good-bye, then sprinted out to the car. I exceeded the speed limit for most of the drive back to the house.

After checking the doors and resetting the security system, I bolted up the stairs two at a time. I tossed my shirt on the loveseat as soon as I entered the bedroom; my pants joined it moments later.

Sliding naked into bed, I spooned myself behind Stephanie. She was warm, and the familiar feeling of peace engulfed me but did nothing to tamp down my raging lust. I needed to be buried in her immediately.

I moistened two fingers on my right hand, then slid them between her legs. I gently probed her pussy, surprised to find it already damp. I pushed my fingers into her velvety softness, forming a 'v' with them to prepare her for the thickness of my cock.

Stephanie moaned, threw her leg forward slightly, allowing me better access to her pussy, and came partially awake. "Mmm, if this is still a dream, don't wake me up. It's getting to the really good part."

"It's about to get even better, Babe," I promised, positioning myself carefully at her entrance and driving home in one fluid motion.

_Dios__, I loved this woman!_

**SPOV**

I rocked back against Carlos' hard body and equally hard cock, which was currently buried to the hilt inside me. He set a slow rhythm, his hands alternating between caressing my breasts and clit. Since he was behind me and I couldn't reach any part of him properly, I just settled my hands on top of his as he strummed my body, bringing it to a crescendo quickly, as only he could.

When I was able to form a clear thought after my first orgasm, I teased, "Did you miss me?"

"Babe, I can't remember the last time I was this horny."

"Well, it has been nearly," I checked the bedside clock, "twenty hours since we made love, so that explains it."

"I've gone longer without you, Stephanie," he whispered, thrusting forward powerfully.

"Oooh, yes," I urged as he picked up the pace and the force. "If waiting makes it this good, maybe we should take some time off from sex before our wedding. Sort of build up the tension a bit."

He ground to a stop, totally not what I wanted him to do right then, and asked, "Are you serious? How long are you talking?"

"I don't know what I'm saying. Hell, I'm half asleep and well on my way to a second orgasm, or at least I was before you stopped."

"No, maybe it's a good idea," he mused.

_Great job, Stephanie! You've just signed your sex life prison sentence._ I began to backpedal. "Uhh, I don't think that's a good idea. No, I'm _sure_ that's not a good idea." I pushed his hands back down to my clit, hinting that I was ready to end this discussion and get on with the matter at hand, literally.

"Think of the anticipation, Babe. How does a month sound?"

I jerked my head around as far as I could to look at him. "How much have you had to drink? Have you lost your mind?! We'll kill each other on our wedding night if we wait that long."

"Okay. How about three weeks?"

"Argh. How about we forget I even said something that stupid and finish what you started right now?"

"Back to a month, then."

"Carlos, stop! We can't do that! It's insane! Hell, I'll go crazy! God, what about you? Think about it, it's only been twenty hours! Multiply that by like thirty times." I was proud of my ability to do the math, considering the circumstances. I'd been asleep only a few minutes ago, Carlos was currently buried inside me, and the deal he was formulating had my hormones frantically screaming_'__No!'_

He seemed to consider what I was saying, and I began to have some hope he'd drop this ridiculous idea, when he threw the next twist at me. "A month, with three 'get off' cards for each of us."

"All right, I'll bite. 'Get off' card?"

"Oral sex. Able to be requested at any time from the other, but only three times over the entire month. No intercourse."

"That sounds like a terrible plan," I answered truthfully.

"Stephanie, it's a great idea. It will make our wedding night even more special," he whispered into my ear as he began to move in me again. "Once we're on our honeymoon, we can make love for days without interruption, I promise. Please."

I groaned. "That's a low blow, Carlos."

"Babe."

"Fine!" I snapped half-heartedly, because I knew it would make us crazy to hold ourselves back, and the need for each other would fuel an unbelievable wedding night. "But don't blame me if you cave before we reach the deadline."

"Is that a challenge?"

"The whole crazy idea is going to be a challenge."

"We won't cave, Babe, either of us. You'll see."

"Just don't be surprised if I say 'told you so' when you're feeling the heat."

"The anticipation will be worth it, I have no doubts."

I did have all sorts of doubts, but Carlos had put his full attention back into our current position. Since I knew somewhere in the not so distance future I'd be doing without this for a short span of time, I focused completely on enjoying the feel of him inside me.

He slid in and out of me in long, delicious strokes. I pushed myself back against him, wanting to take all of his length every time. Carlos guided me with his hands and body onto my stomach, then lifted my hips, helping me onto my knees.

Another orgasm claimed me, and after it smoothed out, he changed our position again. I lay on my back, legs wrapped around his back with my ankles linked, as his body, glistening with sweat, drove us both over the edge. His eyes held mine as our bodies rode out their climaxes. We lay still, his full weight comfortably settled on me, as our hearts beat strongly together. The feeling of oneness was complete and powerful.

We drifted off to sleep a short time later, snuggly wrapped in each other's arms.

At six a.m., his watch alarm was issuing its annoying pattern of beeps. Carlos shut it off quickly. "Babe, we need to get up," he whispered, contrarily tightening his hold on my body.

"Let's sleep in," I suggested.

"Can't. We have to pick up Brown and Santos at Raphael's, and we definitely don't want to be late to meet Eagle."

_Eagle? Shit! Skydiving!!_

"Carlos, I really don't think I can jump from a plane."

"Yes, Babe, you can and will."

His firm statement and tone had me tensing up, and I could feel my anger at his issued command creeping in around the overwhelming fear.

"Stephanie, I know you can do this, and I wouldn't push this if I didn't think you'd enjoy it. Being scared is okay. Fear is healthy, as long as it doesn't control you." He placed both of his hands on either side of my face and tilted it up, dropping a soft kiss to my lips before looking into my eyes. "Try not to worry. You'll be safe. I won't let anything happen to you."

I tried desperately to heed his advice as I took my turn in the bathroom, and he went downstairs for a quick run on the treadmill while I got ready. I was dressed and pulling my hair into a ponytail when he jumped into the shower.

By the time I had my shoes on, he was finished and dressed himself. He offered me a concession of McDonald's for breakfast, but I declined. The thought of their normally appeasing greasy food caused my nervous stomach to flip unpleasantly. We each grabbed a bagel, yogurt, and a travel mug of coffee in the kitchen, then we were off to Raphael's house.

Carlos knocked several times on the heavy wooden door, rang the bell, then finally called his brother's cell. When he didn't receive an answer, he flipped the phone shut and reached into his pocket.

_Finally, I was going to see how 'Ranger' always broke into my apartment firsthand. _

"Sorry, Babe, not today. I brought his house key because I figured this might happen."

The locks tumbled, and Carlos efficiently entered the complex security code into the pad next to the door while I gaped at the chaotic mess in Raphael's living room.

Besides the bodies wrapped around one another throughout the room, all covered with sheets, clothes had been flung everywhere. A pair of black lace panties hung from a picture on the wall, a skimpy bra was draped across the lamp shade next to the couch, and the matching lamp lay on its side on the opposite end table. I nearly tripped over a pair of jeans that were so big they could only belong to one person… Tank. I gulped audibly. From something the man himself had mentioned before, and too much information from Lula, I knew the Big Guy shared Carlos' habit of going commando. That could only mean one thing.

I quickly turned my back on the room and headed back out the door, only to be stopped by Carlos.

"Where are you going, Babe?"

"Those," I pointed to the jeans, "are Tank's. And that," I motioned over my shoulder in the general direction of the couch, "would mean he's naked, along with a lot of other people, based on all the clothes that are laying everywhere."

"I'm sure they are. You can advert your eyes, Babe, but you don't want to miss this. Time to raise the troops," Carlos said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

He entered another code into the security pad, and instantly an ear piercing alarm began to sound, jolting everyone awake. The guys, all of them naked, sprang to their feet and searched for their weapons and the perceived threat, while Carlos howled with laughter.

I hadn't heard him laugh that hard since Tank got kicked in the balls by that pain in the ass old woman at Pleasure Treasures. I drew my eyes briefly away from the train wreck in front of us and considered him. No, he was definitely laughing harder now.

My attention turned back to the screeching women frantically looking for something to cover themselves. _Now they were concerned about their modesty? _Go figure.

Raphael came charging down the steps, gun in hand, and board shorts firmly in place… thank goodness. He looked a little green, and like he'd had a really long, err short, night, which all turned to seriously pissed off when he saw his brother laughing hysterically in the foyer.

"You fucker!" he yelled at Carlos, then grabbed his head, obviously in pain and regretting that he'd raised his voice. Raphael furiously punched numbers into the security pad, and the alarm fell blissfully silent. The only noises now were the groans from the hung-over.

I watched as Tank's naked ass headed quickly towards the bathroom, then the sound of his vomiting caused most of us to wince.

Lester had pulled on a pair of black boxers with red lipstick kisses printed all over them, and was searching for his jeans. Brittany stood behind Lester, wearing his shirt.

_What? Lester and Brittany?!_

My eyes swept over to Raphael's, and saw that he'd noticed that little fact, too.

Carlos had recovered from his prank and took charge of the situation. "Brown! Santos! Are you sober?" When he received nods in response, he said, "Let's roll!"

With one last sad glance at Brittany, then at Raphael, who was sporting recent love bites on his chest, I let Carlos lead me from the house. Lester and Bobby sprinted from the house moments later, still putting their clothes to rights.

The trip in the Suburban was silent the entire way, all of lost in our own private thoughts. I selfishly switched my worries from the mess I'd witnessed to the impending trip I was getting ready to take. _God help me!_

We arrived at an airstrip about twenty minutes later. An impressively built older man stepped from behind the wing of a small plane. His face creased in a smile as he watched us approach.

"Manoso, how the hell are you?"

"Good, Eagle. This is my fiancée, Stephanie Plum."

"Pretty lady, you've hooked your wagon to a winner. I've known him for several years now. Good soldier, even better person," Eagle said as we shook hands.

"Good soldier? Shit, that wasn't what you were screaming at him in basic, you old dog," Bobby commented. "Hell, I remember just the opposite, don't you, Santos?"

"Yeah, something like _'You worthless piece of shit, you'll never be any kind of soldier'__._ Hell, you yelled at all of us for one reason or another all the damn time!"

"And look what my fine work turned you into," Eagle boasted.

"He was our advanced skydiving instructor for Ranger's training," Carlos told me.

"Yep. Whipped all these boys into men. Well, except that Pierre. For a such a tough guy, he sure was a little girl about jumping out of planes." Eagle laughed and the guys joined in. "So, pretty lady, now it's your turn. Manoso says you've never done this before."

"No, I haven't." My voice showed the nervousness I felt.

"No worries. We'll get ya all suited up and teach you what to do," he said as he led me towards the hanger.

I looked over my shoulder to make sure Carlos was following. He, Lester, and Bobby, were all right behind us. We went into a locker room that held all sorts of parachuting equipment.

Eagle and Carlos checked my equipment carefully and helped me into it, explaining every piece and its function. I watched a short video in the small office, then Eagle explained the entire process again to me and volunteered to answer any of my questions.

I felt fairly confident I could do it, right up until I was standing on the edge of the jump door, peering down at the great distance between me and the ground. This was a lot further than the garage roof!

Carlos wrapped his arm around my waist, his breath warm as he whispered in my ear, "Do you trust me, Babe?"

I knew it was a loaded question. I simply answered by reflex, because we were standing so close to the edge and I couldn't think straight. Fear was definitely controlling me. "Yes."

In the next instant, I heard two metal clicking noises at my back, a _'Love you'_ whispered into my ear, then we were free falling out of the plane, with me screaming at the top of my lungs like the girl I was!

**TBC**

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this installment of Best Wishes. Please allow me some creative license with the parachute jump. I'm completely behind Tank's opinion of jumping out of a perfectly good functioning airplane. I believe if God had meant for me to fly, he'd have equipped me with wings! We'll see what Stephanie has to say about it in the next chapter. Stay tuned and thanks in advance for your review! They're as thrilling to me as jumping out of a plane is for Ranger.


	24. Wonder Woman Flies with Batman

**Best Wishes**

by: amkp

Chapter 24-Wonder Woman Flies with Batman

Disclaimer: JE owns 'em, I play with 'em!

Author's notes: Wow, my reviewers are so awesome and last week's plot question was the biggest response I've had! The funny part is that there was not a stand-out winner like I'd thought there would be. There were only two votes separating the winner from the loser! Unbelievable!

Here's my much appreciated thanks to the participants (I loved reading all of your defenses for your choices!): sisusyellowlab, SapphireJ, Liz03, time4tea, Dikent, Barb4psu, tropical screamer, rangersluvin, Kjen, rangerslee, janetfan150, ty93, Barb117, AmandaBabe, BatmansBombshell, girliegirl79, shamrockbaby411, enhmom, forever babe and JenRar.

Thanks to Cara for her idea on the smut. She hates to write smut for her stories, but has no problem suggesting it for mine. Go figure! LOL.

Thanks to my extra special, super busy Beta, Jenny! YOU ROCK, BABE!

**SPOV**

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"

I screamed until I had no breath left in my lungs. The ground was racing up to meet me, and it was coming fast! My body felt like it was traveling two hundred miles an hour, and in a matter of a few seconds, I'd be a Stephanie Plum pancake in the grass. I sucked in a huge gulp of oxygen, determined not to leave this world quietly, and prepared to scream some more.

"Babe, it's okay."

_Hey! _He sounded awfully close to my ear. I decided I was hallucinating, and Batman was saying good-bye. _Wait a minute! _He's the one that got me into this mess, and I had a few choice words to say to him before the show was over for me.

I moved my eyes away from my quickly approaching final resting place, towards the sound of his voice. He was right there. I could see he had his arm and leg thrown out away from his body, and it seemed he was piggy-backing on me. _What?_

Now that I was paying closer attention to my surroundings, I could feel the heat of his body at my back. The harness around me was pulled tight.

"Form your body in an 'x', Steph, it'll slow us down." His voice was raised just enough that I could hear him over the rushing wind.

The training video flashed through my mind. _Right._ Wind resistance slowed the flight and reduced the speed so the parachute could be deployed without shredding. My instinct was to curl up into a ball, but I overcame my panic and extended my arms and legs as instructed.

"Perfect. You're doing fine," he encouraged. "Only a few hundred more feet, and we'll be floating."

His calm, controlled voice soothed my frayed nerves a little. _Alright, Stephanie, deep breath. Don't __scream,_I coached myself, even though I felt like I'd just been launched out of a canon with no preparation or plan, just waiting for the inevitable explosion.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carlos check the wrist gauge on his left arm, then he spoke again. "There'll be a jerk when I pull the ripcord. I've got you," he said as his arm came around my waist.

He pulled the cord, I heard the fabric of the chute rustle, and then we slowed considerably, seeming to almost stop compared to the speed we'd just been traveling. Instantly, I felt weightless, like I was floating like a feather with Carlos' arms wrapped around me. I was safe. I wasn't falling to my death, thank God! I had lots more living to do!

I took another breath, though this one was that of relief, and looked around, enjoying the feeling for the first time since falling from the plane. I was flying! Oh my God, it was incredible!

"I love you, Stephanie." He nuzzled into my neck, and the moment was now perfect.

The peacefulness of the flight settled around us. I was surprised at how quiet it had gotten. Only the barest hint of wind and the faint swishing noise from the chute could be heard. On the horizon, I could see the ocean. It was beautiful. The houses and buildings were no longer little dots, but were beginning to take shape.

Then two flashes of color passed on either side of us, quick moving bullets spiraling towards the ground. I flinched and took a deep breath, ready to start screaming again.

"What was that?"

"Santos and Brown, Babe."

"Carlos, where are their chutes? They're going to die!"

"No, they're fine, Steph. They're freeflying."

"What the hell does that mean? They're going too fast!"

"They're racing, probably going about 160 miles per hour. They'll change positions to the box formation anytime now."

A few seconds later, both men shifted and formed the same 'x' shape we'd been in moments ago, then their chutes deployed. Carlos' arms slid from around my waist to grab the steer lines of our chute. He made an adjustment that sped us up, and we quickly gained speed so we moved in between the guys.

"Whatcha' think, Beautiful?"

"I think I had ten years scared off my life by Carlos, and another three or four by you guys. But it's awesome! I love it!"

"Next time, solo?" Bobby asked, smiling.

"I don't know. Maybe," I answered honestly. I was scared out of my mind minutes ago, and I'd like to believe that it wouldn't be as bad next time, but I knew having Carlos strapped to me had been a big comfort.

We floated towards the ground slowly. There were large targets painted in the grass, and Carlos steered us towards the one in the center. He gave me a few last second instructions about the landing, then we were back on solid ground. The chute pooled in a puddle behind us, and Carlos released the clips holding us together.

I turned quickly, caught him off balance, and shoved at his chest. He fell to the ground, and I jumped on top of him, immediately pummeling him with my fists.

"If you _ever_ do anything like that again…" I yelled at him, teasing him. I'd had the time of my life, once I'd gotten past the fear, but I wasn't going to let him think he could do stuff like this and get away with it. No way!

Carlos seized my hands, halting my assault against his chest, and flipped us so I was on the bottom and he was leaning down into me. "Babe, it was payback."

"You shoved me out of a plane with no warning!"

"You and Brittany led me to believe we were making a sex video with my brother!" he shot back.

"Sex video?" Lester asked with obvious interest.

We turned to look at him, and simultaneously said, "Stay out of it!"

"Shit. Fine. C'mon, Bobby, let's leave these two alone. They obviously need to blow off some steam."

Bobby and Lester gathered up their chutes and began walking back towards the hanger. I tracked their progress, and when they were a fair distance away, I decided to take Lester's advice about steam.

Carlos' intelligent, deep brown eyes were watching me wearingly. His sexy eyebrow raised, and an expression of concentration settled on his face. He seemed to sense my change in mood almost instantly. He knew me well.

I'd gone perfectly still under him, probably a sure tell that I was up to something. Oh well, my plan included two players, so it was good that he was already on to me.

Slowly, I ran my hand down his back, not stopping until it found his firm, sculpted ass. I grabbed a good handful and squeezed, while pulling him forward into me. I could feel his hardness already growing as he ground us together.

"Babe."

"Hmm?"

"You're playing with fire…out in the open, that's dangerous," he warned.

"So is jumping out of a plane, but I lived through that, and now I'm on an adrenaline high. I want you," I whispered into his ear.

His body tensed, frozen in place, except for the twitching of his hard cock. That sensation had moisture pooling in exactly the right spot, my body preparing itself for his.

"Stephanie, you can't be serious. Here?"

"What's wrong, Batman? I thought this would be right up your _alley__._" I tried to cock my eyebrow as he always did, to emphasize how close we'd come, several times, to having sex in the alley alongside the bonds office.

"Trust me, I have no problem with taking you anywhere," he nibbled on my neck, "anytime," licked at my ear, "Babe." He growled and thrust his hips firmly into the juncture of my legs.

I moaned. This was exactly what I wanted; right here, right now. To hell with the rest of the world. I'd just jumped, well, technically was shoved, out of a plane, and I felt invincible and horny beyond belief.

Batman's body was lying on top of mine, and all his equipment appeared to be in fine working order, so why not? I'm not an exhibitionist, by any stretch of the imagination, and sex out in the open had never appealed to me, but we'd be with the guys for the rest of the day. It'd be tonight before we'd be alone again, and I _couldn't _wait that long! I'd never been camping, but I was thinking the chute would make the perfect tent.

Carlos had begun to undo the fastenings of my harness, stripping it off my body. Once he'd freed me from its restraint, his hands pushed up under my shirt, seeking the front closure of my Victoria's Secret bra.

I threw my hands up over my head, searching for the many lines of the parachute. When I found them, I wrapped my fingers in them and pulled. The rustle of the fabric settled around us. Our bodies were covered by the black, nylon material.

"Feel like camping?" I asked.

"I love to camp, Babe. Now's good for me."

As his mouth settled over my erect nipple, I knew this was the perfect time for my first camping experience. And boy, it was already off to an excellent start.

My shirt needed to go! I pulled it over my head and wiggled out of my bra as Carlos continued to suck at my nipples. His hand skimmed down my body to the snap on my jeans. He made quick work of the zipper, then shifted his weight so he could get me out of them. He left my thong in place, simply pushed it to the side with his finger. He stroked lightly down my folds, exposing me to his intense gaze. He stared for a long moment, before lowering his head for a taste.

I arched up as his tongue circled my clit and two of his fingers plunged into me. God, I was ready for him right now! I didn't want to wait another minute.

"Please," I begged, "now."

The unmistakable sound of a zipper being lowered was the only response. Seconds later, I felt the rock-hard, velvet softness of his cock at my entrance.

"Yes," I moaned, as I grabbed at the harness he still wore across his chest. I jerked him down to my face and nipped at his bottom lip. His tongue traced an outline of my mouth, then I parted my lips, granting him full access. As his tongue dove inside my mouth, his cock thrust up, burying himself to the hilt in one powerful stroke.

I shouted out in pleasure as he stretched me to the limit. The length and width of him was something I'd never tire of; he filled me completely. I rocked against him, giving him the signal that I was ready for him to move. Carlos slid out, leaving only the head of his cock inside, before driving into me again.

His mouth left mine and traveled down the column of my neck. Carlos drug his teeth along my collarbone, making small love bites and causing me to moan louder. His hand cupped my breast, pulling it up slightly, nipping at the tip, then sucking it into his mouth, never breaking or slowing the rhythm of his hips.

I buried my fingers in his silky, short black hair, holding his head in place at my breast. I was standing on the edge again, looking down, preparing to jump. This time, I did so without hesitation, flying on the wings of my orgasm with Carlos pressed against me. I screamed again; not in fear, but in pure, unabashed pleasure.

Just as I was spiraling back down from the peak of my climax, Carlos' talented fingers found my clit, tweaking the bundle of nerves. I tightened my inner muscles around his cock, and he groaned. He thrust deeply a few more times, then went still as his cock pulsed its release, which triggered another orgasmic ride for me.

"Damn, Babe, that was over too fast," he spoke from the place where he was resting on my chest.

"Mmmm, I enjoyed it. No complaints here."

"We should probably back to the hanger before they send out a search party," he said, and no sooner had the words left his mouth, we heard Lester.

"Hey, Ranger, man, did you forget how to pack your chute? Looks like you're all tangled up in it. Where's Bombshell?" Lester's fake concern was traced with a hefty amount of teasing.

"Go away, Santos," Carlos ordered.

"You sure are in an unfriendly mood today," Lester grumbled. "I hope _whatever_ you're doing under there improves your disposition."

"Must be you, Lester. I think he's in a great mood," I said cheekily.

Lester's laughter roared out. "Only you, Beautiful. Let's get goin'. The beach babes are calling me, and Eagle's looking for you two. Ranger, I know you don't want him to find you under your chute. It won't be pretty, if he does."

"He's right, Babe," Carlos said, almost sighing.

He located my jeans and threaded my feet into the legs, then I squirmed around until they were in place. When I had the jeans fastened up, Carlos handed me my bra and shirt, then tucked himself back into his pants and zipped up. Once I was dressed again, he flipped the material of the chute off us, while I tried to set the tangled mess of my hair to rights.

Carlos expertly folded the chute, then packed it back into its nylon backpack he'd been wearing. He slung the pack over his shoulder and grabbed my harness, then held out his hand, pulling me to my feet with one tug. We walked arm in arm back to the hanger.

"I'm proud of you, Babe. You did it, even though you were scared."

"I didn't exactly do it, you did, but yeah, after the initial fear, when I realized you were hooked to me, I loved it. Ya know, it would have been easier if you'd told me it was a tandem jump."

"Where's the fun in that?" he teased, and I smacked him playfully in the stomach. He smiled, then leaned his head over to rest on the top of mine. "That was always the plan, Stephanie. I wouldn't let your first jump be solo. It's too risky."

"Now you tell me."

"You figured it out about as quickly as I figured out we weren't making a sex video with Brittany and Raphael," he countered.

"Okay, so we're even?"

"Yeah, we're even for this. You still owe me an item from the black box, which I'll be claiming tonight, by the way."

I stopped, turned, and looked at him. He had the devil's own smile on his face, and his eyes were dancing with mischief. What had gotten into him today? He'd turned into a serious prankster overnight!

"You're going to claim that tonight? While the guys are with us? Seriously?"

"The guys being here only sweetens the taste of it," he quipped as he wrapped his arm back around me and steered us the rest of the way to the hanger.

Eagle was waiting for us when we strolled in. "Have some trouble packing the chute, soldier?" he teased while Bobby and Lester laughed.

"No, sir," Carlos answered. "I knew exactly what I was doing."

The double-entendre wasn't lost of me, and my face heated up in response. Lester doubled over, he was laughing so hard. _Stupid, men! _Yes, even Carlos, too. He'd just fed the fire, instead of being the strong, silent type of the past.

Thankfully, the talk turned to old military memories and friends they'd lost touch with. I left them visiting together, while going in search of a restroom. When I returned, they were ready to leave.

I took a quick snooze in the Suburban on the drive back to Raphael's house. Carlos rang the bell in warning, then used his key to gain entrance to the house, resetting the alarm once we were all inside.

The house was still in disarray, but at least the _ladies_ were gone. Raphael and Tank were fully dressed, too, thank God. They had a basketball game on, and were each stretched out on opposing couches.

"Didja do it, Bomber?" Tank asked, smirking.

"Yes. Carlos sort of pushed me out of the plane."

Tank nodded his head in understanding. "He's good at that. Lots of practice."

Lester and Bobby plopped down in a couple of empty spots, and I studied all their haggard faces. None of them looked a hundred percent up to snuff, so now was my time to strike. I was more than a little pissed off with the scene I'd witnessed this morning, but I'd been too distracted by the impending doom of skydiving to do anything about it earlier.

Now, it was time to let lose. First up, Tank. Activate Rhino-mode. Carlos wisely stepped back when he noticed the change in my demeanor. Tank hadn't, and was unprepared for me. I'm not givin' to cussing much outside the bedroom, but this matter called for the use of the f-word.

"What the FUCK were you doing this morning?" I demanded, and when he didn't respond, just stared at me with a confused look on his face, I helped him out. "What about Lula? Your girlfriend? How could you do this to her? She's my friend!"

"Bombshell, I don't want to talk about this." Tank rose from the couch and had I not been so pumped up on adrenaline, I might have reconsidered going toe-to-toe with the Big Guy. I charged on undeterred, though I had to crane my head back to look up at him.

"You don't? Well, too bad! You're one of Carlos' best friends and like a big brother to me, but your behavior last night…argh! It's disgusting! You're in a relationship!"

Tank bent down, bringing our faces close. I held my ground and refused to cower back, even one small step. "No, I'm not," he said quietly.

_What?_

I faltered and took a step back. I searched his eyes, and saw sadness, pain and hurt.

"You haven't talked to her lately, have you?"

I shook my head. Actually, I hadn't spoke to any of my friends from Trenton much since moving to Miami. Well, other than Mary Lou, and even that had been sporadic. But thinking back, I realized Lula hadn't mentioned Tank's name the last time we did talk, and that should have been a dead giveaway that something was wrong.

"When did this happen?"

"Couple weeks ago."

"Her idea or yours?"

"Hers. And this really isn't open for discussion with you now," Tank paused, then added, "or ever." He turned and walked out of the room, heading outside.

That took the wind out of my sails, but I wasn't finished yet. My eyes skimmed across Bobby, no offenses there, that I knew of, over Lester, who as far as I knew didn't realize what he'd done last night, then landed on my soon-to-be brother-in-law.

Raphael held up his hands in mock surrender as I stalked towards him. "Oh, no you don't! You are _not_ sticking your nose in my love life. Just because you and my brother are in a _relationship,"_Raphael said sarcastically, "doesn't mean the rest of us have to follow suit. We have sisters that tried to pull this shit on us for years. Now I'm the last man standing; cut me some slack!"

"Raphael, you're better than this..." I threw my hands up circling the room, the chaos. "I think Brittany really likes you."

"Yeah? That didn't stop her from hooking up with Santos last night."

"And you went to bed all alone?"

He shot me a glare. "I've made no promises, to her or anyone else. I like my life just fine. Thank you for butting out," he told me sharply.

I decided giving relationship advice was better left to the professionals like, say… Dr. Phil. Raphael was right. I needed to step back before I made an even bigger fool of myself. My only defense was that since Carlos and I had fought our relationship for so long and now were happily planning our lives together, I wanted the same for all our friends.

Lester spoke up. "Rafe, man, I didn't know you had a thing going with Brittany."

Raphael turned to Lester. "We've been out a few times. More in recent weeks. But there's no ring on her finger, and Steph's right, I wasn't alone last night. My bed was _full_," Raphael's face creased into a huge, shit-eating grin.

Lester jumped right in, his voice curious and anxious. "Did you take all three of them upstairs?"

Raphael nodded. Bobby whistled between his closed teeth, then said, "You the man."

"Yep," Raphael agreed, "I'm livin' the dream."

I blew out an exasperated breath as Raphael grinned broadly at me. _Men!_

**RPOV**

She never disappoints. Never. She'd gotten right into Tank's face about his behavior last night, something even I would strategize about before attempting. But Steph had always been like that. Leap first, make plans when that fails. Still, it wasn't a wise idea to take Tank on, especially when he was hung-over. She's brave, no doubt.

Talking about feelings or relationships doesn't come up much between us guys. Okay, like never. Occasionally, there'll be digs about sex or being under a woman's 'control', but it doesn't go much beyond teasing, and never serious discussions, or for fuck's sake, handing out advice, which was why I hadn't known Lula and Tank had called it quits.

He'd been distracted once when we'd talked on the phone about business. I'd asked if everything was all right, and he'd simply said he and Lula were having some problems. Silence had filled several long moments, then we'd gotten back to work.

It was understood between us that if the other needed a sounding board, we were always there for one another. It was the way it had always worked between us. He was one of my best friends, and as uncomfortable as it was for both of us, I needed to check on him.

Raphael told everyone that Michelle had brought over some steaks for lunch. Stephanie, I suspected in an attempt to level everything after her outburst, volunteered to get the meal started, and I agreed to go fire up the grill.

Tank sat staring out at the ocean, lost in thought. His eyes met mine as I walked to the grill.

"Not you, too."

I silently shook my head. _No advice, just a sounding board._

The grill started with a poof, and I closed the lid, keeping the heat inside to warm the grates. I sat next to my friend and slid my sunglasses into place.

"I thought she was the one, ya know, man?" _So, he did want to talk about it after all._

Been there, done that. I thought of all the times I'd watched Stephanie go back to the cop; how much it had hurt, and how I'd wondered if one of the times it would stick and he'd end up with her, instead of me. Dios, I was glad that was behind us now.

"I'm tired of being alone. Fuck, I'm just tired. I want what you have with Stephanie. I want to be a father someday. Time's running out."

"Man, what do you want me to say?"

"Nothing. There's nothing to say. I'd started making big plans for Lula and me, had it all worked out…house, marriage, kids. But, that isn't what she wants. Not at all." Tank gave a small, sarcastic laugh. "She says she doesn't know the first thing about being a mother. Didn't know hers and turned to the streets partly because of it. That wasn't something she wanted to explain to our children. She actually laughed when I hinted at marriage."

"Wasn't there something about a proposal a while back?" My mind flashed back to an unconscious Tank lying on the floor outside Brenda's hotel room. At the time, I really thought Tank was going to make it to the altar ahead of me. Especially since Stephanie was living with Joe, and I didn't think I'd get my chance with her.

"Yeah, she said she'd have never gone through with it." Tank blew out a frustrated breath. "Right after Thanksgiving, she said we should take a break. Had someone she wanted to go out with. That's the last time I talked to her."

I didn't know what to say to him, so I just sat with him in silent support. The only sounds were the calling of the seagulls, the noise from the boats anchored at the marina, and the crashing of the waves, until Stephanie walked out onto the deck, carrying a plate of stuff for the grill.

Her eyes sought mine, and I gave her a small smile, rose from my seat, and crossed to her, taking the plate from her hands. I put everything on the grill and heard her walk over to Tank.

"I'm sorry," she apologized to him. "I shouldn't have stepped in. You guys are all single and can do whatever you want, with whoever you want. I won't spoil anymore of your fun."

"Stephanie, it's okay. You didn't know. I would like to cut loose during my time down here, though."

"I understand. This is your vacation. You should have a good time."

I stepped behind Stephanie, wrapped my arms around her, and pulled her tight against my chest. Tank stretched out on a lounger, stripped off his shirt, and threw it over his head to keep the sun out of his eyes.

The steaks were just about done when the rest of the guys came out of the house. Stephanie had brought everything else for the meal out onto the large, round table at the far corner of the deck. Raphael grabbed everyone a beer, and we sat down to eat.

After lunch, it was decided that we'd hit the beach. The guys wanted to go wind-surfing, but with my sutures, I couldn't get in the water, so Stephanie and I watched from the beach blanket.

I generously rubbed sunscreen into my fiancée's fair, yet tanning, skin, then opened a book I'd retrieved from Raphael's library. Steph stretched out on her stomach next to me, and was asleep in about three minutes.

The guys found their way back to us about an hour later. Santos' eyes were sweeping the beach up and down, looking for prey, no doubt. He stopped, nudged Brown and Raphael, and pointed to the south.

"Damn, I love beach volleyball!"

The rest of us, even Stephanie, who'd woken up at Santos' exclamation, looked to where we could hear a game underway. It looked to be guys versus girls, and the ladies were winning. The skimpy bikinis they were wearing had the guys at a serious disadvantage.

"Looks like those guys could use some help," Raphael supplied.

We gathered up our belongings and trudged down the beach towards the game. It was drawing quite a crowd. The pace had picked up; taunts were being called out, and wages were being made. Everyone cheered for their side.

Stephanie was bouncing up and down, calling at the girls for good plays, and insulting the guys. It was the final point. Guys' serve. The blond beach bum tossed the ball in the air, hit it hard, and sent it rocketing towards the net. A thin, strawberry blonde, wearing a tiny green bikini, jumped up and spiked the ball right into the opposing guy's mid-section. He fell to his knees, grabbing at his crotch, while the rest of us guys winced and shifted uncomfortably in sympathy.

Time stood still for a moment. Just before the wild cry of victory went up from the ladies' side, we heard Brown say, "Susan?"

The game winner's head jerked up, recognition passing over her features, and she waved back at us in greeting. "Hey!"

**TBC**

Author's note: Hee, hee, hee, is she the winner? I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter, the black box is back! I wonder what he'll pull out? Hmm. Anyone, anyone? Rae, ya there? LOL. Thanks for your continued support of my writing! Holy Hot Batflash! I'm only 8 reviews from 500, woot, woot! Please help me out, Babes, make my week! Thank you :)


	25. Toys and Taunts

**Best Wishes**

By:amkp

Chapter 25-Toys and Taunts

Disclaimer: Janet owns them, all of them! It's not fair!

Author's note: First off, I'm so sorry this chapter is a day late. I was away playing (a girls' weekend in Branson, MO) and was out of my 'comfort-zone' which equals=writer's block. Late last night, my muse and I had a real sit down talk about her behavior! The results are below, be warned, she copped an attitude!

This chapter's toy was inspired by a reviewer, foreverbabe (Rae). At first, I didn't think I'd ever use it, but as it often happens with the many ideas my reviewers give me (yes, I have a notebook and keep all of your ideas!), I rolled it around until I had a place for it. Rae's been great with her support and it helped a lot with this chapter. Thanks, Babe!

Some of the contents of this chapter were inspired while sitting around the pool, soaking up sun and drinking 'beverages', LOL! Danielle and Kathy bounced ideas around with me. I had a great weekend, ladies, thanks!

Cara, my sounding board, made a prediction regarding this chapter, which I hope comes true. We'll see, Babe, thanks!

To all the plot-players for last week's question, the scale was tipped in one direction, and the result of that is included in this chapter! My personal thanks to all of you. You inspire me: time4tea, BabeCakeLvr, ty93, PricklySare (I used your toy idea, too! LOL), Barb4psu, AmandaBabe, Dikent, CB60, SapphireJ, Liz03, Batman'sBombshell, girliegirl79, JenRar, clovereater, hapshapsut25alc, LeiaB, rangersluvin and Kathy. Thanks also to all the anonymous reviewers!

Last, but certainly not least, thanks to Super-Beta Jenny! She gave me my 500th review, woot! woot!, and she blew me away with the speed in which she returned this chapter. I sent it to her at 1:30am, slept for 4 hours and when I woke up it was in my inbox, beta'd and ready to go! Is she great or what? Love ya, Babe!

Now, finally, after a record setting longest author's note ever, then next chapter of Best Wishes! Enjoy!

**RPOV**

The victorious winners of the volleyball game all shared high-fives and made plans for the losers to buy them dinner that night. It was going to cost them big. I knew the restaurant they'd named as the place to meet at eight, and it wasn't cheap!

Susan wrapped a towel around her middle while she crossed over to us. Stephanie congratulated her when she reached our group.

"Thanks, Stephanie. They asked for it, and they got it! That ought to teach 'em about making some sexist comment about girls not knowing how to play tough."

Susan turned to Brown. "Surprised to see you down here," she said.

"Ranger and Stephanie moved to Miami a while back, so we're here visiting. What about you?" Brown asked.

"Medical lecture. My roommates from college live here, so I came down a couple of days early to have some time with them." Susan looked over her shoulder, then called out, "Hey! Danielle, Kathy!" She motioned the other ladies over to us.

Raphael walked up at the same time as Susan's friends, and introductions were quickly made. My brother wasted no time turning on the charm.

"How come I've never seen you ladies around town?" he asked as he slid his arm around Danielle.

She answered him with a smile. "We're pretty serious with our work and don't get out much."

They explained they worked in medical research for one of the large pharmaceutical companies. Brown's interest was immediately piqued as he began to ask question which type of research and how long they'd been working on their current project.

"Mr. Manoso, how's my work?" Susan asked as she stepped to my side to inspect the bandage.

"Fine. Brown's going to take the stitches out tomorrow."

As Susan spoke to Stephanie and me about Miami, Raphael was deep in conversation with her friends. When we finished our short conversation, my brother looked up and smiled, his arms draped around Danielle and Kathy. "Hola, Susan. I've invited your friends up to my house for drinks. Would you like to join us?"

Susan shot each of her friends a cool look, mumbled something that sounded like 'suckers' under her breath, and nodded her agreement.

We all made our way up the beach and onto Raphael's deck. He flipped on the outside sound system, the strong beat of the Latino music filling the air, and Santos stepped behind the bar to survey the inventory. Within twenty minutes, everyone had a drink in their hands and had found a position around the pool.

Stephanie was lying with her head in my lap. I was absently twisted a strand of hair around my index finger while looking around at the group.

Bobby and Kathy sat on a couch across from us, talking about her breast cancer research. She'd latched on to the one topic that was sure to keep RangeMan's medic captivated for hours, since his mother had died from the dreaded disease several years ago and his sister had recently been diagnosed.

Tank and Susan sat at the edge of the pool with their feet hanging in the water. My friend's massive build dwarfed the small woman's frame and blocked most of her sun, casting her in shadow.

Raphael, Santos, and Danielle were in the pool, wrestling and joking around. She was piggy-backed on Santos ' back, armed with a super-soaker water gun, blasting at Raphael while he attempted to take Santos ' feet out from under him. He finally succeeded, and they went under with Danielle screeching all the way. When she resurfaced, she attacked Raphael, launching herself at his chest, catching him off-balance, and pushing him under. She was a wildcat and held her own against the two men.

A dart game got started, and I decided to join in while Stephanie chose to sit it out. I gave her a quick kiss on the lips, then hurried over to make sure I got on the team against my brother. Danielle plopped into the lounger next to Stephanie shortly after the game began. We played several rounds before our team was declared the winners.

When I checked the time on my watch, I realized we needed to get home so we'd be ready for dinner and still have time to handle the item I'd chosen from the black box.

I crossed the deck to my fiancée, and was instantly weary when I noticed her head together with Danielle's. She was up to no good, I could feel it. I heard her whisper to Danielle, "Oh, this is so good! I can't wait to get one up on him!"

"Babe, haven't you learned your lesson? I _always_ get payback," I whispered into her ear.

"Carlos!" she yelped in surprise. "I didn't see you walk up."

"Need to be more aware…"

Stephanie interrupted, "I know, I know." She rolled her eyes and shook her head, which caused Danielle to giggle.

"So, I'll set it up, no worries," Danielle promised with a big smile on her face.

I watched as they exchanged a look that only spelled one thing. Conspiracy. I held my hand out to Stephanie and pulled her to her feet. She settled her arms around my waist and lay her head on my shoulder.

"We should get home. I have some plans we need to take care of before we meet them at the restaurant."

"Okay, Batman. Umm, Danielle, I'll catch ya later."

"Sure, Steph. This is going to be fun!"

We walked over to the guys and told them we were leaving. Tank said he'd likely spend the night at our place tonight, but Brown and Santos planned to stay with Raphael.

Raphael mentioned to Brown that the yacht was available if he wanted some 'privacy'. Kathy gasped at the implied suggestion, and Brown shrugged his shoulders. Stephanie thumped my brother in the stomach, which saved me the trouble. I contemplated whether or not Raphael could have been adopted, or possibly switched at birth.

We decided to leave the Suburban for the guys, so Raphael tossed me the keys to his Porsche Spider. I'd looked recently at the new model, and was considering adding it to my collection. This was a good opportunity to test drive it. Raphael had assured me it was a sweet ride more than once; it was his favorite new car.

He teased Stephanie as we walked towards the garage. "Is it safe to let you ride in one of my babies? I've heard about your reputation with cars; my brother's in particular."

Stephanie faked a stumble, and threw herself towards one of Raphael's prized possessions. He moved at lightening speed to catch her before she could do any damage. Just as he reached her, she straightened up and said, "Psych!"

Raphael stopped short, placed his hands on his hips, and glared at her. He reached out to tug on her hair, and she jabbed her finger into his side.

"Children!" I barked, nearly rolling my eyes at the two of them.

Both of them gave each other a push before I separated them and guided Stephanie to the car. She moaned when she slid into the seat_. Looks like the car already meets with her approval_.

My brother cocked an eyebrow and called, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"That narrows the possibilities," I said as I crossed around to the driver's side.

Raphael opened the garage door, I revved the engine, which elicited a moan from Stephanie, and I eased the car out of its parking spot.

"Glad to see you're in such a playful mood, Babe," I commented, turning right and heading towards home.

"Really, why's that?"

I didn't say anything, only flashed my wolf grin.

"Should I be scared?" she asked cautiously.

Reaching out, I twined our fingers together and rested them on her leg. "Think of it as 'broadening your horizons'."

She checked my expression, then mumbled, "Oh yeah, I should be scared."

I released her hand and trailed my fingertip up her thigh. She held her breath in anticipation, but I stopped short of touching her where she wanted, as I needed to down-shift the car for a turn.

Twenty minutes later, we pulled up in front of our house. I killed the engine and jumped out of the car. I opened her door, offering my hand to help her out of the low-slung seat.

When we got into the house, she said she'd shower first. I let her go, and went into my office to check email and get reports from all the RangeMan locations. Even though I was 'technically' on vacation, I liked to keep up with what was going on. I took care of a small problem in the Boston office, then made my way upstairs.

After Edna's invasion of our bedroom, I'd moved the black box into our dressing room, on a high shelf out of plain sight. As I went to retrieve it from its hiding place, I noticed Stephanie already had her dress laid out on the bed. I chose a tie that complimented her dress, and grabbed my Armani suit. Then I retrieved the black box, and took everything into our bedroom.

I sat down on the couch in the sitting area, put the box on my lap, and opened it. I was digging through the box when Stephanie walked out of the bathroom wearing her short silk robe. Her eyes tracked to mine, and she audibly gulped when she saw what I was doing. Stephanie tentatively made her way over to me. She looked at the 'toys' I'd placed next to me while I searched for the one I wanted. She winced when she noticed the nipple clips.

"Those look like they'd hurt," she observed.

"Sometimes pain increases the power of an orgasm."

"Hmm. I'm not sure I could move past the pain to focus on the pleasure."

"Is that a challenge?" I gave her a look that conveyed I was more than capable of proving her wrong.

Stephanie shivered and dropped to the floor to sit in front of me. She picked up one of the bottles of lotion, checked the description, then set it back down. Next, she grabbed a finger-sized clit vibrator. I stopped to watch her as she looked at it with interest. She rubbed the soft rubber tip and flipped it on, making a sound low in her throat when it hummed to life. Her eyebrows shot up at the strength of the vibration.

"See something you like, Babe?"

Her beautiful face colored to an adorable shade of pink as she nodded her head.

"Let's keep that out."

"Is this your choice?" she asked, hope lacing her voice.

"No. I think it's yours," I laughed softly. "Here's mine." I tossed the package into her lap.

She picked up the item, read what it was, and looked at me with wide-eyes. "You can't be serious! I thought you'd pick something else."

"Like what?"

The color on her cheeks heightened. "I figured you'd pick…ah…umm…well, something for butt stuff."

"I've got plans for that at a later date."

"Of course, _you'd_ have a plan!"

"Always, Babe." I put the box to the side and reached down to pull her up into my lap. "This will be fun," I promised as I opened the package. "No one will know but us, if that's what has you concerned."

"Are you sure about that? Have you used one of these things before?"

"No, I haven't."

She popped the egg-shaped vibrator out of the package, then unfolded the directions and handed them to me. "How exactly does this thing get into place?"

I cocked my eyebrow. "I'll be happy to handle the placement."

Slowly, I leaned into her, capturing her lips with mine. Our tongues caressed. I wanted her to relax and experiment with my black box toy choice before we needed to leave. I tilted our heads to deepen the kiss. She plowed her fingers into my hair, holding me in place, though I wasn't going anywhere.

My hands ran down her front, and when I reached the tie of her robe, I worked it loose. The material separated, and I brushed it off her shoulders. When we had to come up for air, my lips traveled down the column of her neck, while my right hand cupped her breast.

She twisted around so she was straddling my lap, her hands tugging my shirt up and off my body. Stephanie traced my nipples with the tip of her fingernail. I had to stop, because the feeling broke my concentration. My cock swelled to life from the touch of her fingers and from the heat of her pussy settled directly on top of me._ Would I ever get enough of this woman?_

I bit back the urge to claim her right that moment, but that wasn't in my plan. I wanted to wait until she was at her breaking point after being tormented during the course of dinner. I doubted we'd even be able to make it home from the restaurant, and I already had a place in mind to go to along the way if we couldn't. It was always good to have a plan, maybe two, when my sexy fiancée was involved.

As her hand reached down to stroke the length of my cock, I nearly aborted my plan. I was painfully hard already, and the next couple hours were going to be shear torture.

I rose to my feet with her legs wrapped around my waist and the toy trapped between our bodies. Crossing to the bed, I gently lay her down, and she spread her legs in invitation. Her pussy beckoned to me, and I answered the summons. With my index finger, I parted her folds, then licked a trail down from her clit to her wet entrance. My tongue dove into her, sucking and tasting her intoxicating essence.

Stephanie whimpered when one, then two, of my fingers plunged into her velvety softness. She was lost in an orgasmic ride as I reached for the egg-shaped vibrator and placed the device at her center. I rolled it around until it was completely coated in her juices, then with gentle pressure, I pushed it into her. Stephanie's body tensed up when she realized what I was doing.

"Relax, Babe, it'll make it easier."

Using both of my fingers, I guided it into place, settling it against her g-spot. I withdrew my fingers carefully, making sure I didn't disturb the placement of the vibrator or the loop I'd use later to remove it from her.

Stephanie had her bottom lip pinned between her teeth as she watched me reach for the remote control. I chose the lowest setting and pressed the button. Her eyes widened in surprise, then she gave a soft moan. I crawled up onto the bed and circled her clit with my finger as I increased the power of the vibration on the remote. Stephanie's back arched up, and her breast came close enough to my mouth that I could get my lips around the tight bud of her nipple.

Without looking, I pressed a different button on the remote, and she screeched out, "Oh my God!"

"You're going to have a lot of explaining to do if you do that during dinner, Babe."

**SPOV**

"Carlos, you aren't going to do this to me in public, are you?" I asked, my voice sounding as worried as I felt.

A wicked little grin creased his face and sealed my fate. "I didn't make you strip in front of anyone!" I defended.

(Okay, so I was pretty sure there were a lot of people reading my thoughts on FanFiction and had got just as turned on as I had during his stripping scene a few chapters back, but that wasn't relevant right now.)

"You should remember to negotiate those parameters in future deals, Babe."

Another orgasm arrived as the egg continued to vibrate. I fought for some control, but lost, and let out a long, satisfied moan. I needed to find a way to handle this quietly without embarrassing myself through dinner, or as he suggested, set some boundaries. Maybe it was time for another deal.

"All right, Batman, we've got to set some conditions about the use of that remote."

His sexy eyebrow traveled up. "Okay, I'm open to suggestions… for a price."

"I thought there wasn't a price."

"Babe."

Rolling my eyes, I laid out my terms. "You can only use it five times during dinner, and if I'm attracting too much attention to myself, you _have_ to stop!"

"I can live with that. And?"

"I don't know, what do you want?"

_Smart move, Stephanie! Hand him a blank check._

Carlos gave serious consideration to all of his endless choices. "The first two days of our honeymoon, you go topless."

"_No way_!" I shouted, then added, "You are aware there are laws against that, right? Jail doesn't sound like a great place to spend part of our honeymoon."

"Stephanie, I'm the only one that's going to see you. No one else will be around."

"And where exactly would that be?"

"Nice try, but I'm not telling you."

Well, it sounded like wherever we were going, it would be very private. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to wear any clothes the first couple days of our honeymoon anyway, especially since he'd set the thirty day hold on sex prior to the wedding. I planned to keep my new husband busy in the bedroom, making up for lost time!

"Okay, I'll go topless for two days," I conceded.

Carlos pressed a kiss to my lips, shut off the vibrator, and rose from the bed, pulling me up as he went. He lay the remote on top of his suit, then said he was going to grab a shower.

The thought of hiding the remote while he was out of the room was so tempting; I almost couldn't stop myself from doing it. But then I considered what his reaction would be to that, and decided it wasn't worth the risk. Plus, he was an expert tracker, and would probably just use his 'bat-radar' to locate the dang thing within minutes, no matter where I hid it. I planted the image of him stripping out of his uniform firmly in the front of my mind, and pulled my dress on, determined to survive this payback with my dignity intact.

We crossed paths between the bedroom and bathroom. He was naked, and I decided to be an opportunist. _Hey, I learned from one of the best! _While we exchanged a passionate, toe-curling kiss, I reached out and gripped his partially erect cock. It sprang to life. I dropped to my knees, and with firm hands on his thighs, walked him back against the wall.

When he bumped to a stop, I closed my mouth over as much of him as I could take in. His hands clenched into fists at his side. My eyes tracked up his body until they settled on his dark chocolate ones that were lined with arousal. I increased the pace and pressure of my mouth. Carlos buried his hands in my hair, guiding me in a tempo set for his pleasure. I gripped the base of his cock with one hand, and gently teased his balls with the other. I lost time as I greedily consumed him. Oral sex had never been as good as it was with Carlos. When his release came, I happily drank of it, swallowing quickly, not allowing a drop to be wasted.

He slid down the wall until we were face to face. "Babe, you never disappoint," he whispered before gently kissed my lips.

I had a big smile on my face as he rested his forehead against mine. "Hmm. I better get my make-up finished. We don't want to be late. Raphael won't let us hear the end of it if we are."

Carlos crossed to the bed for his suit, while I went into the bathroom. I was touching up my lipstick, when the vibrator kicked in, hard. I yelped and jerked, nearly shoving the tube up my nose. "Carlos!" I warned. "That wasn't funny!"

His laughter carried into the bathroom. "It says it works up to twenty-six feet!" he happily informed me.

_Great! Just great!_ He now knew his 'kill-zone'. I was in big trouble! I had to grip the edge of the counter as the blasted thing hummed along in just the right spot. An orgasm was fast approaching, I could feel it, yeah, here it comes, then….nothing. It stopped! _ARGH! _I stomped my foot in frustration.

"You okay in there?"

"Fine, I'm fine," I gritted out through clenched teeth.

He was leaning casually against the door frame when I walked out of the bathroom. "You're really going to enjoy this, aren't you?"

"Don't worry, Babe," he said as he came towards me. "I'm thinking you're going to enjoy it, too."

We got out of the house and into the car without further incident, mainly because we were in danger of being late. Carlos pulled the car to the curb in front of the restaurant with one minute to spare. He flashed me a smile before the valet opened my door.

Almost everyone was seated at the large table when we walked up hand in hand.

Raphael casually looked at his Rolex watch and smiled. "Cutting it a little close, aren't you, bro?"

Carlos refused to be baited, which caused Raphael to laugh. I sat across the table from Carlos, next to Danielle. She leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Everything's ready."

Just as I was going to respond to her, the vibrator started to buzz to life. I twisted the napkin in my lap and bit the inside of my cheek. Danielle asked quietly if I was all right. I didn't trust my voice, so I nodded my head. When the vibrating stopped, I tapped one finger several times next to my plate. Carlos gave me the wolf grin. Danielle and Raphael looked at both of us with interest, then at each other. They shrugged their shoulders as we placed our drink orders.

We were between the salads and the main course when it went off again. I sucked in a breath and nearly dropped my water glass before I could safely place it back on the table. I noticed from my peripheral vision I'd caught Raphael's attention as I stared across the table at Carlos. An orgasm bubbled through me. I crossed my legs tightly, squirmed in my seat, and fought back the urge to moan. When it subsided, I tapped two fingers on the table.

Raphael's eyebrow went up. I'd strangle Carlos if his brother figured out what was going on.

The meal progressed, and I was doing pretty well. He only had one more time left. I'd survived without embarrassing myself so far! It had taken everything in me not to make quite a racket the last time he'd turned it on. He'd changed the motion and the strength of the vibration. I was concerned I wouldn't make it quietly through the final time and hoped that dessert arrived pretty soon. No one would question me too much if I groaned while eating it, since I'd already had a reputation for enjoying my dessert.

Carlos had ordered Raspberry Sorbet. A new, young waitress reached around to place it in front of him. When he looked up at her to say thanks, she stumbled and dumped the bowl into his lap. He bolted up in reflex.

Raphael's laughter rang out as he handed Carlos a napkin, then bent down to pick up the bowl to give it back to the waitress. The poor girl kept apologizing and trying to wipe at the wet spot on the front of Carlos' slacks. He batted her hand away, telling her he'd take care of it. I knew better, but I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing, which caused everyone else at the table to join in.

My laughing was brought up short by the vibrator. I sucked in a breath and wondered why he'd used his last time without being in front of me, since he'd turned to go to the bathroom as soon as the laughing had broken out.

I moaned several times during the final orgasm, but didn't worry, because the noise was drowned out by everyone's laughter.

When Carlos returned, I tapped five fingers on the table and smiled broadly. A look of confusion crossed his face. He leaned down and glanced around his seat, obviously looking for something.

Raphael chose that moment to go to the bathroom. He rose from his seat and crossed the room. Danielle and I followed after him a couple minutes later, using the excuse that girls always go to the bathroom in pairs. I reached for my cell phone camera when I heard Raphael's voice.

"What the fuck?"

"C'mon, baby, I've been watching you all night. You ever been with a real man?" a male voice purred out. "Ohh, you're such a big one, aren't you?" We saw the guy run his hands up Raphael's chest.

"Get your fucking hands off me, you pervert!" Raphael warned, pushing at the man's shoulders in an effort to shove him away.

I snapped the picture at just the right time to make it look like he was holding the guy instead of pushing. The friend of Danielle's had his head tilted to the side, as if he was getting ready to kiss Raphael's neck. _Perfect!_

Danielle and I bolted into the ladies room before we were noticed. We heard the thud as her friend hit the opposite wall. I winced, afraid the guy might be seriously hurt by Raphael, when I'd only meant to do this as a prank.

She assured me her friend practiced martial arts and could handle himself if things got too rough. But it sounded like Raphael had thrown him against the wall and stomped off, probably not wanting to make a scene in this upscale restaurant. I quickly sent the picture to Lester, Bobby, and Tank before I chickened out.

We were walking back to the table when the vibrator kicked in again. _Wait a minute!_ Had Batman lost count? That was number six!

I leaned against the wall and fought for control. I really wanted to go back to the bathroom and take this thing out, but didn't have anywhere to put it, no way to explain it to Danielle, and probably couldn't get it out without Carlos' help anyway. I groaned, then reassured Danielle that I was okay as we made our way back to the table.

The guys that had received Raphael's picture smiled at me, and I knew they'd choose just the right moment to let the cat out of the bag.

Susan and Tank were sitting close to one another, Tank's arm draped casually across the back of her chair. They made a cute couple, and I wondered if anything would become of this weekend, or if they'd see each other again when they returned to Trenton.

Kathy and Bobby had come down to our end of the table after the losers from the volleyball game had settled the bill and left.

Lester nudged Raphael's arm a short time later. "Isn't that the girl from Illusions?"

Raphael looked carefully at the woman who was getting up from her chair a short distance away from us. She apparently was heading to the bathroom. Raphael stood and waited for her to approach our table. He stopped her directly behind my chair. I could make out most of their conversation as I shamelessly eavesdropped.

"Good evening, Isabella," he greeted warmly. "We meet again."

"Nice to see you, Raphael," she said quietly.

"You look even more beautiful than you did last night," he crooned, and I didn't even stop my eyeroll.

"Thank you. I should go. I don't want to keep my date waiting." Her voice had a nervous quiver to it.

"How well do you know that guy?"

"This is our first date. He's nice. I like him. He's been a perfect gentleman all evening."

"Well, don't plan on that being the case when he takes you home," Raphael advised.

"Excuse me?"

_Uh oh,__ that didn't sound good!_

"He's a major player. Likes to keep _score_." Raphael drew the last word out for emphasis.

Isabella's light laugh twinkled out. "Look who's talking!"

_You go girl!_

Raphael chose to ignore her taunt and asked, "Does your brother know you're out with that guy?"

"I don't have to ask my brother's permission to go out on a date, Raphael. I'm twenty-eight and make my own decisions."

"Well, in this case, you made a poor one. If you plan on keeping your _status_, you won't go home with him. Call a cab, or better yet, let me take you home."

"You're a piece of work! I can only imagine where you picked up that little bit of information. First off, let me assure you my _status_ is none of your concern. Secondly, I didn't maintain said status by being careless. I have an MBA from Harvard, and I might be a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. As for calling my date a player, have you checked the mirror lately? How many girls did you have in your bed last night?"

There was a long pause. I forced myself to stay facing forward and not whip my head around to watch this woman grill my future brother-in-law.

"Yeah, that's right, I know all about your little _party._ They were all bragging it up this afternoon while they practiced their routines."

Raphael blew out a frustrated breath. "Isabella, I'm trying to help you."

"By dragging me to your bed instead of his?"

"Do you think I'm not capable of taking a woman out without sleeping with her?"

"Not from what I've heard," she said, and silently I had to agree with her, Carlos' brother or no.

"How about this? You let me take you home tonight. I'll drop you safely at your door. Then Saturday, I'll take you on a date and prove you wrong. I won't even try to steal a goodnight kiss!"

"Why would you do that, and why should I agree?"

"Because I like you, and I know that guy's trouble. I've heard stories about him. If you'd have told your brother the guy's name, he'd have warned you, too."

"Let me go to the bathroom. I'll give you my answer when I come back."

I heard Isabella walk away. Some twenty minutes passed and she didn't return. Raphael asked me to go to the ladies room to check on her. I found the bathroom empty, not a trace of the woman anywhere. Her date was still sitting at the table waiting for her when I returned to my seat.

"She wasn't there," I told Raphael.

He pulled out his cell phone and placed a call. We got up from the table and began walking to the door, while Raphael continued to talk on his phone. From the part of the conversation I was hearing, it appeared to be Isabella's brother he'd called.

After a long pause, he said, "Okay, well, as long as she got home. Yeah, thanks."

"She turned you down, didn't she?" I teased. "Guess you're losing your touch with the ladies, Raphael."

Raphael stopped and slowly looked me up, then down, obviously checking out the merchandise. Carlos tightened his hold around my waist and whispered in a deadly calm voice, "Mine."

"Stephanie, I'm so good, I can _get_ you without even touching you," he boasted.

"Raphael!" Carlos warned.

"Oh, yeah?" I taunted back, feeling pretty confident of my abilities to fight him off, considering how well I handled myself through dinner, not letting anyone know what had be going on.

He nodded his head and the vibrator shot to life. I gripped Carlos' arm tightly as my overly sensitized g-spot responded instantly to the stimulation. Raphael dangled the remote from his fingertips. _What? How did he get that?_

Carlos roared, "You bastard!" as he lunged at his brother.

**TBC**

Author's end note: Oh boy, life's about to get very interesting! Stay tuned. Please leave a review. You can help out a handsome Cuban man with the situation he's just found himself in. Maybe, he'll reward you with a kiss! ;)

For all my readers in the U.S., have a safe Memorial Day Weekend!


	26. Foolish Pride

**Best Wishes**

Chapter 26-Foolish Pride

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Not making cent, dishing out this drivel!

Author's notes: I'd liked to thank everyone who leaves reviews and to my plot-players this week. The question seemed to stump you gals up or maybe it was the long, restful holiday weekend. No worries, I love hearing from all of you! Here's my shout out: tropical screamer, hapshepsut25alc, janetfan150, jrfanfrommo, AmandaBabe, CB60, emhmom, LeiaB, Barb4psu, time4tea, PricklySare, siriusyellowlab.

Thanks to foreverbabe, for hearing me out about last chapter!

To my dear friend, Cara, who listened to me fret over last chapter and helped me get through this one. Love ya, Babe.

My closing thanks goes to Jenny. She offered numerous plot suggestions for the next couple chapters and once again had this chapter back in record time, even though she's having a rough week. Head up, Babe! We love ya. You truly are Super Beta!

Special Author's note: On Sunday, the world lost a wonderful man. He had simple, strong values and loved his chosen career of farming. At the young age of 72, I introduced him to the world of reading. It became his obsession and he spent hours in his chair losing himself in a book. His favorite author, Louis L'Amour. Though this story wasn't his genre, I wish to dedicate this chapter to his memory. Rest in peace, John. You are loved and missed.

**SPOV**

There was a loud crack as Carlos' fist made contact with his brother's face. Raphael's head jerked back, and the remote flew out of his hand. It landed right at Lester's feet. Lester looked down at it, then bent to pick it up as Carlos and Raphael continued to exchange blows. I was concerned that one of them were going to be seriously hurt when this was over, if not both of them, but all my attention right now was focused on Lester.

"Don't!" I yelled at Lester. "Give that to me!"

"Steph, what the hell is going on?"

"Just hand me the remote, Lester."

Lester stepped around Tank, who was doing his best to pull Carlos off Raphael. Bobby had Raphael's arms pinned behind his back. Carlos managed to land one more blow to Raphael's stomach before Tank got between the two brothers.

"Enough!" Tank's strong voice barked out. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Raphael stared daggers at Carlos. "My brother can't take a joke," he said, his words slightly slurred from his swelling lip.

"You crossed a line, and you know it! You're lucky you're still conscious. You should thank the guys for saving your ass," Carlos spat out at his brother.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I needed to get the heck out of here before I burst into a serious crying fit.

"Beautiful, are you alright?" The concern in Lester's voice had Carlos whipping around to look at me.

"Babe?"

Carlos' knuckles were bleeding, and his right cheek had an angry red welt where Raphael must have gotten a blow in. I was so furious at them both, I could barely see straight, and all I wanted to do was to get away from this whole ugly scene.

"The keys," I ordered with my hand extended out, palm up.

Without any hesitation, Carlos reached into his pocket and withdrew the keys to Raphael's Porsche. He dropped them into my hand, then stepped towards me.

I held up my hand in the 'stop' gesture. "Not now, Carlos."

"Stephanie, please."

"Normally, I'd do my best to honor your request when you use that word, but not this time," I spoke quietly so that he was the only one that heard me. "I'm going home. You should get your knuckles and face tended to."

Turning on my heel, I walked towards the Porsche. I heard the panic in Raphael's voice as he said, "You're not going to let her drive my car, are you?"

The sound of another tussle began to break out behind me, but I didn't even turn around to look at it. I slid into the soft leather seat and started the car. The powerful engine roared to life. It was sad that I was too upset to enjoy driving this car. I turned it towards home, breaking most of the speed limits and not caring in the least. Just let someone else try to screw up my night by pulling me over for speeding!

I pulled the car to a stop in the circle drive, took the keys out of the ignition, locked it, and walked towards the front I got inside, I placed the keys on the side table in the hallway and went upstairs. I stripped out of my dress, tossing it in the laundry, then grabbed a pair of shorts and a black, RangeMan t-shirt and pulled them on.

The vibrator needed to be removed, but I'd be damned if I let Carlos help me get it out. I snatched the directions from the couch where he'd left them and the black box. I carefully read how to remove the device, then went into the bathroom and hoped it worked.

After three frustrating attempts, I finally managed to find the loop and pull it out. I washed it and my hands, and seriously considered tossing the thing in the trash, but I didn't. I decided to put it back in the black box. The black box, argh. I wanted to hate the thing, if I wasn't so curious about experimenting with all the different toys. Carlos had freed me from a lot of my inhibitations, because there was a level of complete trust between us. Unfortunately, that element of our relationship had suffered tonight.

Deep down, I knew that Carlos never intended for anyone to know what was going on between us at dinner. However, I was incredibly hurt and confused about how exactly Raphael had ended up in possession of the remote. Carlos seemed surprised, as well. Surely he'd know it was missing, right? Why wouldn't he have told me? These and a million other questions were racing through my head; most of them complete nonsense and holdovers from the many problems during my unhealthy relationship with Joe Morelli. I needed cake! Or at the very least, ice cream!

I knew there was still some Ben and Jerry's left from Julie's last visit, so I went to the kitchen for it and a spoon. No bowl, no problem. I was leaning against the counter, happily shoving the delicious stuff into my mouth, when I heard the locks tumble. _Shit! Just when I was starting to get happy!_ Now I was going to have my first big fight with Batman. I took a deep breath and tried to prepare myself.

Tank's large frame came into view; I blew out a sigh of relief. The confrontation could be put off for a little longer, and I could go back to my ice cream.

"Hey, Bombshell," Tank spoke softly, checking my expression and trying to gauge my mood.

"Hi, Big Guy."

"You okay?"

I nodded my head, then plowed back into the tub for the final couple of bites. Tank crossed the room, opened the refrigerator door, selected a Corona from the beer supply, and twisted off the top. He took several long swigs before he said anything.

"Wanna talk about it?"

My head jerked around, looking at him like he'd lost his mind. _I didn't exactly see him in Dr. Phil's shoes._

A large smile creased his usually sober face. "Something serious had to happen back there to cause Ranger to lose it like that. I know Raphael can push his buttons, but that was pure rage. And after you left, he wouldn't say anything to anyone."

"It's stupid and embarrassing, and I don't want to talk about it."

"Stephanie, you know Ranger loves you, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"Did that fight have something to do with your relationship with him?"

"Not exactly. I thought we weren't talking about this," I reminded him.

"I didn't hear myself agree to those terms," Tank said, then added, "You think that ice cream's going to help solve the problem?"

"It's helping. I already feel better."

If he'd been prone to the eye-rolling, I'm sure his eyes would have been taking a spin; instead, he just gave me a penetrating stare. I had no doubt it was the type that had intimidated several people into confessing all their secrets.

"Fine. I'll tell you, but it's going to cost."

Tank gave an uncharacteristic chuckle. "You're not exactly in a position to negotiate terms."

"Oh, I don't know. I can just go on up to bed, and you can try to figure out yourself," I replied with a little smirk. The Big Guy needed to understand my negotiating skills had improved since I'd started playing these games with Carlos.

"What sort of cost are we talking about?" he asked, and I knew I had him.

"I'll answer a question, then you'll answer a question."

"It's been a long time since I've played twenty questions, Bomber, but let's give this a try. Me, first. What happened tonight?"

"It was a payback prank between Carlos and I that ended up with Raphael involved," I snapped out, proud of myself for the brief, nondescript summary.

He just stared, not saying anything, but telling me that wasn't going to cut it with him.

"Seriously?" I squeaked.

Tank nodded his head.

"I told him this wouldn't work. When do I ever avoid embarrassing situations? Look at all the crap that's happened to me! Why should this be any different? I mean, sure, since Carlos and I have become a couple, things have gotten a little better, but now this…" I rambled on, lost in vocalizing my thoughts.

"Stephanie!" Tank's stern voice startled me. "The cliff notes, please."

The heat was already rising to my cheeks. "We were using a remote control vibrator, and Raphael got ahold of the remote." It all came out in a rush, in hopes of easing some of my embarrassment.

It took all my strength to look up at the Big Guy. I swear, if he started to laugh, I'd find a way to drop him. Thankfully, his blank face was firmly in place. Maybe on the inside, he was laughing his ass off, but at least I didn't have to witness it. Silence filled several long minutes.

"So Raphael set off the remote?"

"Uh uh, that's another question, and you haven't answered one yet." I thought I might get an eyeroll out of the Big Guy yet, as he blew out a sigh and gave me the 'come on' sign.

"What's going on between you and Susan?"

"You're back in my love life," he warned.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

He shook his head. "I like her."

"And?"

"Asked and answered. My turn."

I didn't fight the eyeroll, I just let it happen.

"So Raphael set off the remote?"

"Yes," I said, proud of myself for my quick one word answer.

"Do we need to set a minimum word requirement for answers?"

"No, and now I have two questions I get to ask."

Tank closed his eyes in exasperation and searched for some calm. In my mind, he was making Jersey girls everywhere proud with his own version of our eyeroll.

"So we've established that you like Susan. Will you see her again when you return to Trenton?"

"Probably."

I stomped my foot and asked the next question, "Any chance of you getting back with Lula?"

"No, that's not going to happen." His voice was sad, but firm. Tank changed the subject quickly with his next question. "Raphael set off the remote right in front of Ranger?"

"Yes," I said quietly, then added, "and I think two other times inside the restaurant."

Tank nodded his head in understanding. "That would do it."

"Raphael did it as a prank." I couldn't believe I was defending him, but I knew he didn't do it for any other reason. "Look, I'm still mad at Raphael, but I didn't want to see the two of them fighting."

"It's a matter of honor, Steph. You're his fiancée. Ranger's not going to let anyone screw with you. If they do, the consequences will be swift and painful."

I shook my head. I didn't understand all the male ego crap. Sure, I was pissed at Raphael, but I planned to get even without beating him bloody.

"Carlos isn't faultless in this mess. He lost the dang remote and didn't tell me! I'm not even sure how Raphael got it."

"He lost the remote?" Tank asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"That doesn't seem like something he'd do."

"I'm guessing it happened when the waitress dropped the sorbet in his lap." I'd thought long and hard about the evening when I'd begun eating my ice cream, and that was the only scenario I could come up with. The pieces all fit. The stumbling block was why he didn't tell me he didn't have it. I had five fingers tapping when he returned to the table that should have told him all he needed to know.

"You'll have to ask him, Bomber. But know this... he wouldn't intentionally embarrass you. No way, no how."

I decided to cut the Big Guy some slack by finishing with only one of the two remaining questions I had left. "What's your full name?"

His eyebrow shot up. I'd caught him off guard with this question, _yay me! _I couldn't hear his mumbled response.

"Excuse me, you're going to have to speak up."

"Pierre Louie Lafayette."

Good thing I'd already swallowed the last bite of my ice cream, or I'd have probably sprayed it all over as I burst into laughter. At his dark look, I sobered instantly, and with a sheepish grin said, "Your name isn't _that _bad," as I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing anymore.

"You'll want to keep that information to yourself if you value your hide."

The problem was I already had someone defending my hide, hence part of tonight's problem. "Look, I'm going to go sleep this off. Maybe, in the morning, I'll be over some of my mad and will be able to talk to Carlos. When he gets home, tell him it'd be best if he didn't come upstairs."

"He's not going to like that."

"Tank, I'm tired, and I want some space. Please."

"I think it's a mistake, but I'll tell him."

"Thanks, Big Guy," I said, as I gave him a hug. He lifted me up off my feet and planted a kiss on the top of my head.

"Don't worry. It'll all blow over, but the sooner you talk it out, the less damage it'll do."

"Yes, ole wise one."

The left side of Tank's mouth tipped up. "Smartass," he deadpanned.

I turned on my heel and marched up the steps. I lay in the big bed all alone. It felt wrong not to have Carlos here with me. I finally let go of my tears, the humiliation, embarrassment, anger, and hurt getting the better of me. I sobbed for what seemed like hours, but in actuality was probably only a few minutes, before my old friend, sleep, claimed me, and I welcomed it with open arms.

**RPOV**

Watching Stephanie drive away from me in anger was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. I wanted desperately to chase after her and fix this problem between us. Hell, I didn't even know for certain what the problem was. I suspected it was because I hadn't let her know I'd lost the remote. That was fucking stupid, and I'm not prone to stupidity. In fact, I try to avoid it at all costs. Temporary insanity sounded like the best defense to me right now. Foolishly, I thought the remote had slid under the table somewhere I couldn't see or reach from my chair. I'd planned to get her in the car, then go back in and look for it without drawing unnecessary attention to the matter.

When her five fingers were tapping on the table upon my return from the bathroom, I figured someone must have accidentally stepped on it and set it off. I never dreamed my brother had it, or for fuck's sake, had the balls to set it off in front of me. Didn't he realize what I'd do to him for doing that to Stephanie? If he didn't before, he did now. I suspected he'd regret his choice even more when he woke up tomorrow to all his bruises.

Tank had pulled me away from Raphael again after the car comment, and had wisely put some distance between us this time. He demanded to know what was going on. He was my best friend in the whole world, next to Stephanie, but I wasn't saying or doing anything more until I talked with her.

She was the most important thing in this whole situation, and I'd let her down for the first time in our relationship. I felt like shit. I waved Tank off and walked towards the vehicle he was driving, settling myself in the backseat to wait while he went to get Susan.

I used the drive to RangeMan to reflect on the night's events as Tank and Susan talked quietly. Watching Stephanie's face as she'd fought through the orgasms had been a rush. I'd found myself getting hard just from her facial reactions. I loved to watch her, it was among one of my favorite things to do. I liked to watch her do all sorts of things: eat, sleep, work, and come. That last was definitely my favorite, especially when she called my name.

Seeing her reaction as Raphael tripped the vibrator had unleashed a blind fury in me. He was lucky Tank had been there to pull me off, or the end result would have been a lot worse.

The beast was not pretty when it was turned loose. My temper ran red-hot, it always had. The military had taught me discipline and ways to control the anger, but tonight, I'd blown past all those techniques. I searched for some remorse, and didn't find any. My brother needed to learn a lesson about messing around with women, especially mine, and I'd been all too happy to play teacher.

The SUV drove into the underground garage, then pulled to a stop near the elevator. Tank left the engine running and came around to Susan's side to help her from the vehicle. They exchanged a few softly spoken words, and Tank kissed her softly on the cheek as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He engulfed her in his embrace, his body nearly hiding hers from view. He turned, his arm still holding her firmly against his side, and spoke to me.

"Susan's going to help Bobby treat you two knuckleheads, and I'm going to go check on Bomber. Bobby will take you and the girls home when you're done. Lester gets to handle Raphael."

Susan gave Tank a warm smile, then joined me next to the elevator as I called it to our level. Tank stood on the driver's side of the SUV and called out, "Fix this with your brother, Ranger. You'll regret it if you don't!"

While we waited for the elevator, I thought about his advice. When we arrived into the medical treatment room housed on the second level of the RangeMan building, Susan quickly surveyed the inventory. She did a cursory exam of my body for injuries, only finding my bloody knuckles and the bruise on my cheek. She applied antibiotic cream to the knuckles, then handed me an ice pack. I settled it on my cheek while she unwound the gauze surrounding my stitches.

"I might as well take these out while we wait," she said quietly, instructing me to lie down on the exam table.

She'd just finished her job, when Raphael, Santos, and Brown came in. My brother was a mess. Maybe I did have a small amount of remorse after all. Susan gently patted my arm, then rolled her stool over to Raphael's exam table.

"Can you help him get his shirt off?" she asked Brown.

"See, I knew you'd want to see me naked sooner or later."

Raphael's sarcastic remark had me rising up to a sitting position. Santos put a restraining hand on my shoulder. Before anyone could say anything, Susan was in Raphael's face, spitting venom.

"You're disgusting! Do you think you've got something special I haven't seen before? Think your good looks will have me, or any other woman, just falling into your bed, thanking our lucky stars you chose us for your evening romp?"

Her eyes were boring holes into my brother's face as she leaned into him. He wisely leaned away as she took a deep breath and continued to drill him.

"Well think again, _playboy_. I know all about your type. Love 'em and leave 'em. I met a guy just like you in medical school, and like a foolish school girl, I fell right into his bed. The next morning, he dismissed me with barely a good-bye kiss, thought he was done with me, but oh no, we both got a big surprise. I turned up pregnant."

Silence had filled the room. Susan was on a tangent, and I don't think she even realized what she was saying. Raphael winced when she probed at his ribs, but she didn't even acknowledge his pain, only kept on with her exam and the rest of her story.

"A baby sure didn't fit into his plans. Offered me money to 'take care of it', the prick. Even though it was unplanned, I refused to consider that option. So I struggled through my pregnancy alone while I worked and kept myself in medical school. Now I'm a surgeon and the proud mother of a three-year-old daughter."

Susan continued her exam by checking Raphael's nose. "Broken," she said with disinterest. She straightened the bone slightly with her fingers. Raphael hissed out a breath through his gritted teeth.

"You'll have two black eyes in the morning as a result of this." She tapped his nose, and he flinched away. Susan shined a light into each of his pupils. "Maybe a slight concussion," she observed, and her eyes moved to Brown. "He'll need to be monitored through the night for further symptoms."

Brown nodded his head. "I'll take care of it."

"Consider yourself lucky. I only found a couple of bruised ribs and the broken nose. If you get ice on that lip, the swelling won't get any worse."

Brown crossed over to a supply cabinet and got an instant ice pack. He prepared the pack, then handed it to Raphael.

"In my professional opinion, you need to grow up, Raphael, and stop playing these games with women." Susan turned sharply on her heel. "Can someone please take me to Danielle's?"

Santos' face held a wry smile as he volunteered to give her a ride. Raphael's verbal beating from her probably hurt his pride more than my physical assault. Tank had made a valid point before he left. I needed to clear the air with my brother.

"Brown, can you give us a couple of minutes alone?"

He hesitated at the door. "Are you sure it's okay to leave you two?"

I used my facial expression to convey my response. The door shut with in a snap.

We both spoke at the same time.

"Raphael-"

"Bro-"

Nodding my head, I allowed Raphael to go first.

"Bro, you're right. Now that I've had time to go over it in my mind, I realize I overstepped a line with the remote. I'm sorry." He dropped his gaze away from my face. "She's yours, man. I really was just joking around with her. I didn't mean anything sexual by what I did."

"I can forgive you this time, because I know you don't fully understand how I feel about her, how I've always felt about her. Raphael, you've never been in love. I hope someday you are, and you realize how deep it goes." Our eyes met as I slid off the exam table. I walked over to the door, then turned back to my brother and swallowed a bit of my pride. "I love her so much, it scares me."

I made my way out of the room and to the elevator, heading to five for the keys to a vehicle. All I wanted to do was get home to Stephanie, work out this problem between us, and go to sleep with her in my arms.

When I arrived at the house a short time later, I was greeted at the door by Tank, holding two Coronas in his hands. He offered one to me.

"No thanks. I just want to go talk to Steph. Is she upstairs?"

"Yeah. I checked on her a couple of minutes ago. She's sleeping."

I nodded, then headed for the stairs. Tank's hand fell onto my shoulder before I reached the first step.

"She asked to be left alone."

"What?"

"Give her some space, man. Have a beer." Tank offered the bottle to me again.

This time I took him up on it, and downed several long pulls. She was madder than I'd thought. I couldn't believe she was kicking me out of our bed!

"Did she tell you what happened? Why she's so mad?"

Tank nodded his head. "I'm not going to betray her confidence, but I'll say this... she's hurt and embarrassed by what went on tonight. She wanted some space. I think she'll be ready to deal with it in the morning."

Some words of advice from Papa came to mind. 'Son, sometimes it's better to go to bed angry, than to stay up and fight while the emotions are raw and you're both tired.'

Even though everything in me wanted to run up the stairs and pull her into my arms, I didn't. I'd give her the space until tomorrow, then we were going to work through this.

Polishing off the remainder of the beer, I tossed the bottle into the recycler and went to the refrigerator for another. I looked up at Tank, with one eyebrow raised. He smiled, and I grabbed two, then we went out onto the deck.

By the time I went into my office, it was nearly one a.m., and between the two of us, we'd consumed twelve of the Coronas. The buzz I had going was fairly strong. I tried to remember the last time I'd dropped my usual two beer limit. I couldn't recall, other than it had to be at least five years.

I settled myself on the couch. I'd left my suit coat, tie, belt, and shoes sitting on the table out on the deck. Oh well, they'd be there in the morning. I forwent my normal urge to put everything in its place before I considered falling asleep. I was tired, and the alcohol had numbed some of the pain, both the physical and the emotional. Morning couldn't get here soon enough for me, as I closed my eyes and visualized Stephanie asleep in our bed.

**SPOV**

It was early. Too dang early. Carlos' love for being up before or at the crack of dawn was wearing off on me. I missed him. I'd gotten used to feeling him next to me, if only subconsciously, through the night. Making my way into the bathroom, I splashed water on my face and pressed a warm cloth to my sore, swollen eyes. The morning after a crying spell wasn't a pretty sight. _Yikes!_ I finger-combed my hair, then went in search of my fiancé.

I found him asleep his office. A beer sat on the floor next to the couch where he lay. I'd never seen Carlos hung-over, and wondered absently how much he'd had to drink.

This was a rare moment, seeing him like this, and I decided I needed a picture. _Crap!_ I'd left my purse out in Raphael's car in the rush to get in the house last night. Quickly, I made my way to the side table where I'd thrown the keys. I beeped the remote to unlock the car, and shut down the house security system before opening the front door.

There stood a battered Raphael, wearing a solemn, very un-like Rafe, expression. "Can we talk?"

**TBC**

End note: Thanks for reading this chapter of Best Wishes. I'm trying to build some depth into all the characters, I hope you enjoyed! Please feel free to offer your advice by leaving a review! Thanks so much and have a great weekend! ~Angie


	27. Forgiveness

Best Wishes

By: amkp

Chapter 27-Forgiveness

Disclaimer: This never gets any easier. No, he's not mine…none of them are, they're hers. My reader's reviews and PMs are the only compensation I receive, and I love every single one!

Author's note:Thanks to everyone who faithfully reviews. I really appreciate it. This week's plot question tickled me. You all had very definite opinions about strippers and I tend to agree. Two of you pick exactly the same sort of thing, I plan to use your ideas! One guessed what I'd already plotted, LOL! In some small way, I plan to use all your ideas, thank you! Here's this week's shout out to my plot-players: SapphireJ, siriusyellowlab, rangerslee, CB60, forever babe, kjen, ty93, Barb4psu and hapshepsut25alc.

I sort of used the 'real' Danielle's ideas for this chapter, hope you're _satisfied_, babe, LOL! Oh, and a shout out to Jen for helping me with Raphael's challenge! Love ya, babe!

Thanks to Cara for her support and listening to me moan about my writing!—Feel sorry for her, I do! My final thanks to my wonderfully talented Super-Beta, Jenny! You ARE the best!

**SPOV**

I stared at the face that shared some many of the same features as Carlos. Well, if you looked past the two hideously black eyes, the fat, swollen lip, and the slightly crooked nose, that is. He had to be hurting, and yet, here he was, standing at the door, ready to talk, first thing this morning.

"A peace offering," Raphael said, holding up a white pastry bag, and attempted to give me a small smile. He winced with the effort.

"Boston Crème?"

He nodded, and I took the bag from him. "Thanks," I mumbled as I opened the bag and took a deep breath of the wonderful aroma. My stomach was ready to forgive him, but my brain and heart said not quite yet.

"Can we talk?" he repeated.

"Um, yeah, but let's walk around the house to the deck. Carlos is still asleep in his office, and I haven't seen Tank."

Raphael's eyebrow shot up when I mentioned where Carlos had spent the night. If he laughed or said anything off-colored about it, I'd pop him one for sure. He chose to let the matter drop without comment. _Smart man._

We sat down on the deck next to each other, facing the ocean. I breathed in the unique smell of the sea, and felt myself relax slightly. I hated the thought of the uncomfortable and undoubtly embarrassing conversation that lay ahead, and when it was over, I'd get to have a similar talk again with Carlos. _Argh!_

I reached into the pastry bag and grabbed the donut, taking a huge, fortifying bite, then offered one to Raphael. He declined. _Good, more for me!_ I was going to need them all.

"Steph, I'm sorry," he began, his tone humble and sincere.

"Because you got caught, or because Carlos beat the shit out of you?"

He shook his head. "Because I crossed a line I shouldn't have. Honestly, I only meant it as a joke. When you taunted me about Isabella, I lashed back."

"Why?"

"Why did I lash back?" he asked, and I nodded. "Can we come back to that in a minute?" Again, I nodded. "If you hadn't said anything, I'd just planned to leave the remote in your desk anonymously, and wait to see what you did when you found it."

Okay, that would have caused some serious panic. Actually, as I thought about the picture I had stored on my phone's camera, I realized it would have been funny, just the type of prank we'd play on each other. If we had come home without the remote, Carlos would have had to tell me he'd lost it and couldn't find it. Yeah, after the shock wore off, it would have been funny.

"I wasn't even sure it really _was_ what I thought it was until I pushed the button in the parking lot. I knew something was going on all through dinner, simply by watching your facial expressions and the looks you kept giving my brother. And I sure didn't expect Carlos to go off like he did. Damn! He was pissed!"

It could have been the embarrassment of being so easy to read and having someone figure out what had been going on, or the look on Raphael's face, but I started to laugh.

"Glad you can laugh about it," he quipped without any heat. "My ribs are fucking killing me."

"Do you think you deserved it?"

One corner of Raphael's mouth tipped up slightly. "Probably," he agreed. "Yeah, probably this or a lot worse. Carlos was right... thank God Tank was there. I haven't seen him lose it like that in a long time."

I didn't agree with how Carlos had handled this situation, but Raphael seemed to have accepted it, and he was the one hurting. So I moved past that part of it.

"What did you think was going to happen when you pushed the remote?"

He smirked. "Besides the obvious?"

The heat rose to my cheeks as I warned, "I haven't forgiven you yet, and Carlos is just inside the house."

"All right, sorry, couldn't help it." Raphael held his hands up in the sign of surrender before he continued, "I guess that's where I screwed up. I didn't think about anything but lashing back at you."

"So now we're back to that... Why did that get to you so much? Heck, we've jabbed at each other worse than that in the past." I was confused, and let the question in my voice show it.

Raphael looked out onto the beach, and took a few minutes before he responded. "There's something about her," he finally said quietly.

"Tell Stephanie all about it," I prompted.

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"C'mon, it might make me forgive you sooner."

"Give you more ammunition to use against me is more like it."

"Spill it!"

He looked at me, studying my face intently. "You're going to forgive me, right?"

"Hmm, maybe…" I said with a wry smile.

"She's different. Refreshingly inexperienced. Not the type of woman I usually hang around."

"That's probably why you're attracted to her. Let me ask you a question." I looked at him with a serious, but curious, expression on my face. "Am I the sort of person you thought your brother would marry?"

Raphael looked over his shoulder at the house. "Is this a trick question? Is he going to come finish me off if I answer this truthfully?"

"No, he's passed out on the couch. I'm curious; it's an annoying trait. Be honest."

"Okay. No, you aren't." He checked his surroundings again. "But seeing you two together, and from the few times we've talked about it, I know that it's right. He loves you... more than his own life, if you want to go with the cliché."

I knew it was true; past experience spoke for itself. He'd give his life for mine or Julie's without hesitation. Hell, even Joe had commented on his unwavering resolve before going in to face Scrog, and that was before we were even a couple.

Raphael was quiet for a moment, then pensive as he asked, "Are you guys going to be all right? You said he slept on the couch in his office?"

"I needed some space and time to deal with what happened last night. I'm better this morning. Not nearly as mad. We'll be fine. We just need to talk this out. I don't see us ever staying mad at one another very long. It's too uncomfortable."

Raphael shook his head. "I don't understand a lot of what goes on between you two. Carlos says it's because I've never been in love."

"You haven't?"

"I've been in lust. Oh, hell yeah, lust isn't a problem. But I've never said the other 'L' word to another person, not in the 'I only want to be with you' way."

"Aren't you lonely?"

He laughed, but there wasn't any humor in it. "I rarely sleep alone." He cocked his eyebrow in that sexy Manoso fashion.

"Argh, you're disgusting!"

"You're the second person to say that to me in the last twelve hours. Susan ripped into me last night while she conducted her brutal exam at RangeMan."

"Ha! You deserved that, too!" I laughed, then turned more somber. "Life's not all about sex, Raphael. You should try having a relationship without it being solely based on that."

Raphael's face fell. "No sex? Are you crazy? Though if I could get Isabella to go out with me…"

I felt my eyes widen as I put part of the conversation they had last night together with Raphael's earlier comment. "When you said, 'inexperienced', you meant _inexperienced!_"

He only nodded his head. Wow! Good for her for standing her ground, unlike me, who'd let Joe Morelli talk me out of my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry. Raphael would definitely have to change his ways if he got together with Isabella. "You should ask her out!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"Tried that last night, remember? She left."

"You should try again. Who knows, she might be the _one!_"

"What a joke, Raphael Manoso in a relationship with a virgin. Besides, my reputation has already preceded me. I don't see any way she'd go out with me after what the girls from the club told her."

"Tell her you've sworn off sex for a month. Heck, six months. A year, even!"

He flinched as if he'd been struck. "Easy, easy. Don't get carried away!"

"What? Don't think you could do it? Can't even last one little month?" I challenged, then thought about a similar deal I had going with Carlos. I had serious doubts about us making it a whole month, but that was a completely separate issue!

Raphael's chin went up in a defensive fashion. _Yeah,_ _now I had him thinking. _This was going to be good.

"How about this? I'll find a way to get you and Isabella together for dinner, but only if you swear off sex for a month."

His eyebrow quirked and his voice was filled with sarcasm. "How are you going to do that?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm resourceful, I'll find a way. You game?"

He took a long time thinking about his answer, and finally nodded his head. "She's never going to believe I can do it, given what she knows about me."

"Yeah, well, stranger things have happened. Look at me, I ended up with Batman."

The tingle shot up my spine a millisecond before I felt the warm hand settle on my neck.

"Babe."

I whipped around to see Carlos standing in his rumpled clothes from last night, and sunglasses firmly in place. From the corner of my eye, I saw Raphael rise from his seat.

"Bro."

Carlos broke eye contact with me to look over at his brother. "You're here early."

"I haven't been to sleep yet. Brown kept waking me up to make sure I didn't have a concussion. Damn tyrant, I think he enjoyed it way too much."

"He's pretty serious about his job," I observed with a smile.

"So you forgive me?"

"Yeah, I guess." I stood up and crossed the few steps to stand in front of him, then grabbed him by the front of the shirt and tugged him down to my level. "If you ever do anything like that to me again," I threatened in a deadly tone, and nearly started to laugh as his eyes widened, "not having sex won't be a problem for you anymore. Got it?"

He nodded his head, and I wrapped my arms around his middle. I might have squeezed hard enough to cause some discomfort, but that was purely by accident. _Yeah, right._ Raphael pulled back and dropped a kiss to the top of my head.

"Thanks, Stephanie."

"I plan to get even," I whispered, before stepping away from him and turning back to sit on the couch next to Carlos.

Tank spoke from the doorway. "Hey, Rafe. Let's go get something to eat and leave these two alone."

They turned and left, telling us to call later to find out where they were and what the plans were for the rest of the day. I heard Raphael say he had a date with the hot tub as they walked away.

Carlos and I sat quietly until we heard the cars pull out of the drive, the big powerful engines roaring into the distance.

"Babe, I'm sorry about last night," he began, sliding his sunglasses off and squinting at the bright sunlight.

I held up my hand to stop him. "Before we get into that, are you feeling okay?"

His eyebrow shot up, and he gave a slight nod.

"How much did you have last night? I saw the empty bottle lying next to the couch."

"Enough to have a headache. Nothing I can't handle."

"Thanks for giving me my space last night. Sorry you slept on the couch. Why didn't you use one of the other bedrooms?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Didn't feel like sleeping in a bed without you."

Ouch, that hurt, but I appreciated his honesty, and I'd pretty much came to the same conclusion on my own this morning when I woke up alone. Last night, though, I was mad, and needed to take the solitary trip to Denial Land.

"I should have told you I lost the remote as soon as I knew it was missing. I messed up, and thought I could fix it before you found out. I didn't know Raphael had it until the parking lot. I thought it was under the table, where I couldn't see it."

"When did you lose it?"

Carlos gave me a sheepish little smile. "When the waitress dropped the sorbet in my lap. I'd started to pull the remote out as soon as your dessert was set in front of you, and when she bumped me, it fell out of my hand and onto the floor. I looked around the chair before I left to go to the bathroom, but Raphael must have already had it by that point."

At least my bounty hunting skills were still sharp... that was exactly when I'd figured he'd lost it. "I had five fingers tapping when you came back. You had to know someone had it."

"No, I thought someone stepped on it."

"You should have told me." Sure, I'd calmed down overnight, but, I _might_ have had a little bit of resentment still!

"I know. I'm sorry," Carlos whispered regretfully as he pushed a curl behind my ear, then with just his fingertip, gently rubbed at my puffy eye. "Dios, I hate that I caused this."

Gently, I lay my head down on his strong shoulder. "You made a mistake, I forgive you." I patted his thigh and rested my hand there. It felt so good to be touching him again, to restore our connection. "I'm going to screw up, too. It's bound to happen. Though I doubt it'll be for something like this," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

I couldn't stay mad at him long; it was impossible. We both hurt when one of us suffered.

"Somehow, I'll make it up to you," he promised.

"Oh, I can think of a few things…" I waggled my eyebrows at him, and he smiled that gorgeous, heart-stopping smile I loved.

"Name it, Babe, it's yours."

"Not so fast. I'm going to stew on this a while, and make sure I get _exactly _what I want. Feel free to offer any suggestions, though. I'm open to almost anything, as long as it doesn't have a remote."

Carlos laughed and shook his head. "You never disappoint. How about I start with making you breakfast?"

"Both of the Manoso men are offering me food to get back into my good graces. What does that say about me?"

The question was left unanswered as Carlos tipped my head up with his thumb and slowly lowered his mouth to mine. His lips were soft and tender. He began an unhurried exploration of the inner recesses of my mouth with his tongue. I melted into his embrace, and he lifted me effortlessly onto his lap, without breaking the contact of our kiss. I tunneled my fingers into his hair as he lovingly caressed my back. Time stood still. When we finally came up for air, he whispered, "I love you, Stephanie."

"And I love you."

"Let's get something to eat so we won't have to stop once we get upstairs."

His sexy smirk had me bounding off his lap, anxious to get through breakfast and have my first round of 'make-up sex' with Batman.

Carlos gave the temple and me a day off from our usual 'healthy' breakfast fare, as we made pancakes together. I chose to ignore the yogurt he added to the recipe, and the title of 'low-fat strawberry pancakes', deciding instantly to lather my pile of cakes with butter and extra syrup.

When the last of the breakfast mess was cleared away, Carlos swept me up into his arms and headed for the stairs. Time for dessert!

Carlos crawled to the center of the bed with me still his arms. He slowly lay me back, his eyes locked on mine as he reached for my shirt. He pulled it up and over my head, then ran his hands down my body to the waistband of my shorts. He stripped the remaining clothes off me, and stood next to the bed in one fluid motion.

I lay naked, spread before him, and felt no shame. Carlos' eyes trailed down my body, and I felt the heat of his gaze ignite my skin, then watched as he undid the remaining buttons of his shirt. The garment fell to the floor soundlessly, his pants following a second later. He was a sight, gloriously sculpted and built for pleasure. My pleasure. I was one lucky woman.

He lifted one of my feet to his mouth. He placed a string of kisses to the arch of my foot as he gently massaged with strong fingers. The same treatment was given to the other, and then he began a leisurely journey up my body; teasing in the ticklish spots, and lavishing extra attention to the erogenous zones.

I was a puddle of need by the time he made it to my mouth, his body blanketing mine. I could feel all the ridges and planes of his body, along with the steady beat of his heart and the pulse of his cock against my inner thigh.

His lips danced around my face, placing soft kisses, while his fingers dug into my scalp, massaging away any remaining tension. Now all that was left was the pulsing at my center, the desperate need for him in the most intimate way, and at this point, I wasn't above begging.

"Please!"

Carlos' right hand smoothed down my body until he reached my folds. His index finger lightly separated the delicate skin and then circled my clit, using just the right amount of pressure. I bucked against his hand, still needing more. He traced down to my opening, and dove inside with two fingers. My back arched, and I cried out in pleasure. Carlos stroked in and out until the first orgasm claimed me, and I was wet and ready for him.

**RPOV**

Dios, she was so responsive. I love how quickly I could bring her to the edge. It was a powerful feeling. My cock was throbbing in a steady rhythm as I watched her reach her climax. I was painfully hard, and couldn't hold back any longer. I had to be inside her. It was as important to me as my next breath.

Positioning myself at her center, I pushed just the tip of my cock into her. She moaned. Entwining our fingers, I raised our joined hands above her head and slid into her fully. Her tight pussy clenched around me. I gritted my teeth and rested my forehead against hers, reveling in the unique oneness of our bodies.

Stephanie's legs wrapped around my waist, her way of telling me to get this show on the road, but I wasn't ready yet. I released her hands and tenderly cupped her face, then devoured her mouth, unleashing all the emotion I was feeling at this moment. Her nails bit into my back where she held on to me tightly. As I began a slow, steady tempo, Stephanie urged me along.

"Ohh…yeah…God, you feel so good."

We didn't vocalize much during our lovemaking, but I found when I did feel like saying something, I had a hard time speaking in English. Instead, I usually reverted to Spanish. I murmured incoherent phrases, not even full thoughts, telling her how good she felt, how much I loved her, and how sorry I was for hurting her last night.

Cupping her breasts, I brought one pink nipple to my mouth and tasted its sweetness. When I rolled the tautness between my teeth, her pussy went into the spasm of release. I stopped and enjoyed the pressure against my cock. She blew out a contented sigh, and smiled up at me.

"I can't wait until I can understand what you're saying. The language flows so beautifully from you."

"I'll be happy to translate."

"No, not now. Maybe later."

As Stephanie pressed her lips against my neck, I flipped us so that I lay on the bottom. She straddled my body and leaned forward, her hair forming a curtain around us. I curved my hands around her ass, holding her in place while I thrust up into her softness. She purred into my mouth.

When the kiss ended, she put all her attention into riding my cock. Her breasts bounced up and down as she set a demanding rhythm. Stephanie held each of them secured against her body, then tweaked at her nipples. That caused the last strand of my control to snap! I sat up, causing her to stop and moan as the penetration deepened. Her face was covered in a fine sheen of sweat from her exertion.

I rose to my knees, and draped her legs over one of my shoulders, forming a band with my arm to hold her tight against me. She twisted enough so she could grasp my free hand. With our hands clasped together, I drove us over the edge with deep, powerful strokes, crying out her name when my orgasm arrived.

We lay cuddled together, trying to catch our breaths. Stephanie's head lay on my chest, as I absently twisted one of her many curls around my index finger. A sense of peace and contentment settled around us. Her breathing fell into a steady pattern, and I knew she'd drifted off to sleep. The couch hadn't been that comfortable last night, and within minutes, I found myself drifting off as well.

The ringing of the house phone woke me. Glancing at the clock, I was surprised to see we'd been asleep nearly three hours.

"Yo," I spoke softly, not wanting to wake Stephanie.

"Man, were you sleeping? It's like noon!"

"Why are you calling, Santos?"

"Tank wants to go deep sea fishing, and Brown and I want to go diving. You and Steph wanna join us?"

"When?"

"Rafe's friend is able to take us out at 1400. We thought we'd eat down at the marina's restaurant."

Stephanie rolled over and gave me a sleepy smile as she pushed the tangle of curls away from her face.

"Babe, you want to go out on the water with the guys?"

"Hmm, sure, sounds good."

"We'll meet you at the restaurant at 1300." I returned the phone to its base without another word. Stephanie shook her head, and muttered something about phone manners.

She crawled out of bed, heading in the direction of the bathroom, and I gave chase. She yelped when I grabbed her from behind. Twisting in the circle of my arms, she jumped up, wrapping her legs around my waist. We exchanged a long kiss as I walked us into the shower. Without looking, Stephanie turned on all the jets. Steam filled the room, and things started to heat up, in more ways than one. Eventually, we got to the task of washing our bodies.

After our shower, she fussed with her hair, while I went to the dressing room to get our clothes. I pulled on a pair of black board shorts and a white t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off. Opening the cabinet that held Stephanie's swimwear, I selected a white bikini, and grabbed a short sundress for a cover-up. When I arrived back in the bathroom, I lay the outfit on the counter.

"Good job, Batman," she said, then dropped her towel.

"Babe, do you want us to be late?"

Stephanie tapped her finger against her chin in a thoughtful manner. "I guess not. We'll have time tonight for more make-up sex."

"You might want to take a nap this afternoon," I suggested, before I turned and left the room.

By the time we got to the restaurant, the guys were already seated, with beers in front of them.

"Nice of you to join us," Santos greeted us.

I shot him a look that had him instantly interested in his menu. Stephanie slid into the booth next to Tank. He leaned down and quietly asked her if we got everything worked out. She nodded, then gave him a big smile. Tank's huge arm went around her shoulders, giving a squeeze before he draped it casually over the back of the booth behind her.

By 1400, we were on the deck of the 'Big Catch,' pulling out of the slip. Tank explained to Stephanie the art of deep sea fishing, as Brown sorted through the diving equipment. Raphael fell asleep almost as soon as we were out in open water. I relaxed in one of the large chairs located at the back of the boat, while Santos talked to Chris, the captain, about the reef we'd be seeing today.

It was decided that fishing was up first. Tank baited Stephanie's line, and helped her cast it out into the water. Before Tank could even get his own line out, Stephanie had hooked a fish. I quickly rose from my seat and strapped the belt around her, securing her to her chair so she wouldn't get pulled into the water as the fish fought back. It took her nearly twenty minutes to reel her catch in. I'd helped her pull back on the pole a couple of times, but other than that, she'd done it herself. She was dancing around when Santos netted it and placed it on the deck.

"A blue marlin. Impressive," Chris commented. "That's the Holy Grail among fisherman in these parts. Congratulations!"

"It's so pretty," she said as she looked down at the fish.

"You should have it mounted," Raphael suggested, having been woken up by all the excitement.

Stephanie shook her head adamantly. "No, it's going back."

"Are you sure?" Chris' voice registered surprise. "Some people fish for these for years and never catch one."

"I guess I'm just lucky like that." She smiled at me, and I had to agree with her. Sometimes she had the damnest luck.

This fish was tossed back into the ocean, much to the dismay of my brother and Chris. Stephanie took my advice from earlier, stretching herself out on the front deck and promptly falling asleep. Tank caught a fairly nice size shark about an hour later. He declared the fishing a success, and said he was good to go if we wanted to leave. Chris fired up the motors and steered us towards the reef. By the time we got there, Santos, Brown, and I were suited up and ready to dive.

It was close to 1900 when we returned to the marina. Everyone came to our house, where we ordered pizza before starting a serious poker game.

Santos folded around 2200, saying he had a date with Danielle. He took Raphael's Porsche Spider, and was threatened with a long, slow, agonizing death if it returned to him with any damage.

Tank went to bed a wealthier man early the next morning. He'd cleaned us all out. He kept repeating that Lady Luck was finally on his side.

My lady had passed out hours ago. Two glasses of wine and a couple of shots was all it took. I carried her up to our bedroom and tucked her into bed. She didn't even stir. I made a mental note to make sure she only had one glass of champagne at our wedding reception.

At 1200 on the day the guys were returning to Trenton, we all met at Raphael's. Tank had called Susan and invited her over. She planned to bring Kathy, but didn't know where Danielle was, because she hadn't returned home the night before.

We were sitting out on the deck when Danielle and Lester came in and fell onto a couch together. They looked hung-over, had love bites over both of their necks, and appeared to be very sated.

Raphael growled, "Lucky bastard."

Stephanie laughed and patted his knee. "Only twenty-nine days or so to go."

I raised an eyebrow in question at their exchange, but neither seemed to be forthcoming with any more information. I let the matter drop as I thought about the call I'd received this morning from Julie, asking if she and Annie could spend the night tonight so we could leave extra early for our trip the next day.

Wondering if it would just be possible to leave tonight, I leaned over to Raphael.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow? Could we go at sunset tonight?"

"I'm just waiting on the keys, which should be here anytime. I had Juan's brother get everything ready."

Stephanie said she was going to the kitchen for a drink. She'd just walked back out onto the deck, when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she called as she disappeared from view again.

When she returned, there was a huge smile on her face. "Look who I found at the door!" She stepped to the side to reveal the surprise.

"Isabella?" Raphael questioned in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

**TBC**

Author's note: Hee, hee! I love endings like this, have you noticed? It's a habit I should probably break. Thanks for taking the time to review! Have a great week!


	28. Sail Away

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 28-Sail Away

Disclaimer: Yeah, they'll always be hers. On the 22nd, she releases the next installment in the Plum Series. Are you buying Sizzling Sixteen?

Author's notes: My muse took an unscheduled vacation, which led to a frustrating week and a delay in the posting of this chapter! As a result, I might have been a bit (okay, a lot!) cranky the last couple days, and I'd like to thank my husband, Super-Beta Jenny and Cara for not killing me. It had to be the ultimate test of will power! Jenny and Cara actually helped me pick it apart piece by piece, which finally lifted the fog my brain had been under! I love you, babes!

Thanks to my plot-players, for their answers this week, their Birthday Wishes (pun intended) and their thoughts as this story begins to wrap up. All of you have made this a truly rewarding experience! Thanks from the bottom on my heart to: PricklySare, rangerslee, siriusyellowlab, AmandaBabe, ty93, hapshepsut25alc, Barb4psu, forever babe, LeiaB and girliegirl79.

This chapter has been edited, critiqued and 'fleshed-out' by the super human powers of Super-Beta Jenny! Thanks, Babe!

**SPOV**

The look on Raphael's face was priceless. He looked like he'd been, well, run over by a truck physically, but his expression was that of sheer surprise. Raphael's eyes quickly darted from her to me, and I smiled a big, shit-eating grin. I was okay with letting him think I'd set this all up, even though I'd had nothing to do with it. I had no idea why she was here.

"Oh, it's you," Isabella said dejectedly. "What in the world happened? Did you sleep with a drug lord's girl?"

Raphael slowly shook his head, and his shoulders slumped. This wasn't going so well. I needed to fix this, fast._T__hink__ of something, Stephanie!_

"Umm, it was prank that went all wrong. I was there, and I was sort of involved, but it wasn't my fault!" I defended, then stuck out my hand. "Hi, I'm Stephanie. I'm engaged to Raphael's brother, Carlos."

"Isabella." She offered her hand as well. "I met Carlos the other night." She waved at Carlos and lowered her voice to tell me, "You're a lucky woman."

"Yes, I am." I smiled warmly at the beautiful woman, thinking what an attractive couple she and Raphael would make. That is, after his black eyes healed up. _Slow __down, sheesh!__ She doesn't __seem at all happy__ to see him._

Raphael rose from his seat and walked towards us. He asked her again why she was here.

Isabella dangled a key ring with a silver anchor from her fingertips. "I returned your yacht to its slip. My brother, Marco, was running late for his date and asked me to bring it back. He didn't tell me your name; just gave me the slip number and told me how to get to your house."

"You put my 51-foot boat back in its slip? By yourself?" Raphael's tone wasn't accusatory, rather that of pure disbelief.

She tilted her chin up a fraction and looked back at him with challenge in her eyes. "What? Don't think a girl like me can handle a boat that big?"

At least he had the good sense not to get sarcastic. "No, it's not that. I'm just surprised."

"I've been boating all my life. You have an excellent yacht. Very impressive. Handles well on the open water. Marco asked me to take it out a ways and make sure it was good to go for your trip."

"You're leaving?" I asked Raphael. This was the first I'd heard of it, although it wasn't like he runs his plans by me or anything.

Raphael shook his head and didn't reply. Now I was really confused.

Carlos had come to stand beside me during their conversation. His arm tightened around my waist. "No, Babe, we are. We're borrowing Raphael's boat for our trip. In fact, now that it's back, we can leave tonight. Julie and Annie will be here anytime."

That news sounded great to me! I knew Carlos had the trip planned with us all, but I hadn't known the boat was involved. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to keep that part a surprise. We'll be staying on the boat every night except New Year's Eve."

"Julie will be thrilled! She loves being out on the water, and because her sling is off, she'll be able to do stuff this time."

"What about you, Babe? You think you'll like it?" He seemed almost unsure of himself, and that tickled me for some reason.

"Are you going to be there?"

"Babe." That was the Carlos equivalent of an eyeroll.

"Then I know I'll love it. I've never been on the water overnight. I can't wait!"

The doorbell rang, and I decided to answer it again. Carlos walked with me. When I opened the door, there stood Julie, Annie, and Charles, Julie's grandfather.

"Dad!" Julie squealed as she launched herself into Carlos' arms.

Carlos caught her effortlessly, and welcomed Charles and Annie into the house. Charles said he couldn't stay and after a quick kiss to Julie's head, he left.

Julie chatted a mile a minute as we made our way back out to the deck, bombarding Carlos with questions about the trip at lightening speed. He tried to answer them, but couldn't keep up with her. Finally, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her everything would happen in due time, and that she'd just have to be patient.

_Good__ luck with __that... Julie's__ patience level is about as slim as mine!_

Julie decided to switch tactics, and headed for her Uncle Raphael.

"Oh, Uncle Raphael! What happened to your face?"

"Make sure to stay on your dad's good side," he advised her.

Julie's voice carried her surprise. "My dad did this to you?" She turned towards Carlos, ready to unleash her fury on him, but Raphael stopped her.

"Easy, baby girl, I deserved it." Raphael laid a restraining hand on Julie's shoulder, then introduced her to Isabella.

"Isabella, this is my overly-excited niece, Julie."

"Hi, Julie. It's nice to meet you," Isabella greeted Julie, giving her a warm smile. "Believe it or not, I don't have any nieces or nephews yet. My brothers are taking their sweet time finding a wife."

"Are you dating my uncle?" Julie asked.

"No!" Isabella's adamant response came quickly.

"Why not? He's a lot of fun!" _Go, Julie! She was making my job easy._

"I think he's a little _too_ much fun for me, Julie."

"Really? Can you have too much fun?" Julie seemed puzzled.

Isabella looked to Raphael for help; his mouth tilted up slightly at the corners, and he cocked an eyebrow. Raphael let several tense minutes pass before he finally jumped in.

"She doesn't know me that well, novia. Maybe we can talk her into staying for lunch."

_Nice move, Rafe! Use the niece to help your cause._

"Oh, please, join us! You'll have fun, I promise!" Julie begged.

I decided to throw my two cents in as well. "Yeah, why don't you stay?"

She looked at all of the people gathered around, and finally nodded her head.

"Great!" I said with enthusiasm. "Let's get you something to drink! Hey, Les, what's the drink special today?" I guided Isabella over to the bar, and Lester made us each a Mojito, flirting shamelessly with us and playing his bartender role to the fullest.

Isabella looked at me with a sympathetic expression. "Are they all like this?"

I laughed and nodded my head. "Some more than others."

With our drinks in hand, we sat down with the girls and began talking about one of my favorite topics…shopping! Isabella told us about a store one of her friends owned. It sounded like a place I'd enjoy, and she offered to take me sometime if I wanted. She said it was about forty minutes from downtown. I agreed to go with her, not only because I loved shopping, but because I desperately wanted to make some new friends here in Miami. I loved spending most of my time with Batman, but sometimes you just want to go hang with the girls!

Raphael shouted from the grill that lunch would be ready in about twenty minutes.

"I'll go get the rest of the stuff from inside," I volunteered, and when I stood up, Isabella and Susan went with me.

We made a couple of trips before we got everything carried out. Everyone grabbed and filled a plate, then found a seat. Carlos and I sat with Tank, Susan, Julie, and Annie. I noticed Raphael had selected a spot next to Isabella on the couch. My eyes kept straying over to them, and I was pleased to see that things seemed to be going pretty well.

"Babe, what are you up to?"

"Me? Oh, nothing," I replied vaguely.

Carlos' expression told me that he didn't believe that for a minute. I leaned over and whispered, "I think Raphael really likes her."

"You're playing matchmaker?"

"No, I think your daughter is. I _might_ be helping a little bit."

Tank asked Susan when her flight was leaving, and that saved me from any further discussion with Carlos about his brother.

"It leaves late tonight. I wish I could have gotten an earlier flight. My shift at the hospital starts at six a.m. tomorrow."

"You could go with us. We're using the RangeMan plane, and there's plenty of room," Tank offered.

"When are you leaving?" Susan definitely looked interested.

"Right after lunch. I could take you now to go pick up your stuff, if you're ready."

"That would be great! I'm all packed."

Susan picked up their dishes and carried them into the house, Tank went and told the guys what he was doing, and then they left.

After the lunch mess was cleaned up, we all sat around visiting. I was going to miss the guys. It had been fun having them down here with us.

Raphael and Isabella were talking cars. Their discussion was animated as they compared their favorite makes, models, and years. Raphael took her into the garage to show her his collection. They were gone until Tank and Susan got back. When they returned to the deck, Raphael was guiding her with his hand resting at the small of her back.

At two, Raphael suggested it might be best to get going. He was flying the guys and Susan back to Trenton, and we were going to the boat. I hugged each of the guys, saving Tank for last.

"I'm going to miss you, Big Guy."

Tank lifted me off my feet with his hug. "You call anytime. Take care, Bomber."

"So you and Susan?" I whispered into his ear.

Tank shrugged his shoulders and planted a kiss on the top of my head. "You're in my love life again," he said with a growl.

He shot me a penetrating stare that didn't scare me for even a second. In fact, I smiled, causing him to shake his head and mutter, "That used to be so effective."

His comment made me laugh. "Sorry, Big Guy, you don't scare me anymore. I know you're a softie."

"Stephanie," he barked out in warning.

_Hee, hee, these guys made it too easy sometime._ "Well, anyway, I hope it works out. She's really nice," I said before he placed me back on my feet.

Raphael came up behind me, loosely draping his arms around my shoulders. "Who's nice?"

"Susan…and Isabella." I turned in the circle of his arms to face him. "She might be too good for you, Rafe."

"She probably is, but she has agreed to go out with me next Saturday night. Of course, she laid down some pretty strict ground rules."

"Did you tell her about the challenge?"

"No, not yet. We'll see how Saturday goes."

I gave Raphael a hug, and he kissed me on the cheek. "Be a gentleman! Don't blow it," I warned him, using a stern expression.

"I can be a gentleman when I want to," he said, defending himself.

"Just make sure you're on your best behavior. No funny business! She won't tolerate it from you." I paused for a moment in consideration, chewing on my bottom lip. "Actually, I can't believe she agreed to go out with you so soon."

"She fell in love with the Porsche Spider. I told her I'd pick her up in it if she'd go out to dinner with me." He gave me a big smile. "She's really into cars. I think I might already be in love with her!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Have fun sailing on my boat. There's nothing like being out on the water."

Carlos came over to us and said everyone was ready to go. Raphael planned to drop Isabella off at the club on their way to the airport. We waved good-bye as they turned towards downtown, and we turned towards the marina. Carlos had decided to drive the short distance, instead of hauling all the bags across the beach.

As soon as pulled to a stop in the small parking lot, the girls grabbed their bags and bounded out of the car, racing towards Raphael's boat.

"Think they're excited?" I asked with a smirk.

The corner of his mouth tipped up. "If my daughter chooses the military, it won't be the Army. It'll be the Navy. She loves the water."

He opened my door, and then we went to get our bags. Carlos gave me the wheeled suitcase, while he hauled the garment and duffle bags with one arm, leaving his other free. He reached for my hand and laced our fingers together. When we arrived at the boat, he asked if I could put our bags in bedroom.

I walked into the room and found a huge bouquet of fresh flowers. The arrangement was beautiful, with several blooms I'd never seen before. I pulled the card from the holder, expecting to find Carlos' name, but instead found Raphael's.

_Little Bro and Sis:_

_Sorry for the trouble I caused this week. Enjoy your time at sea. Happy New Year!_

_Raphael_

The sentiment touched me, and I couldn't help the smile that creased my face. I unpacked our bags, then went topside.

Carlos was calling to the marina crew from the helm to release the tie-downs. He started the boat, and the powerful engine hummed to life, causing the floor to vibrate softly under my feet.

Julie and Annie were leaning against the front railing, waving at the crew as we began to slide away from the slip. I took a seat to Carlos' left, watching with interest as he expertly moved the boat out into the open water.

The wind whipped through my hair. I took the elastic I had around my wrist and wrestled my curls into a haphazard ponytail. Carlos programmed our course into the onboard computer, then stepped from the wheel after a red light on the control panel flashed 'auto-pilot'. I looked at the blip on the screen and the path laid before it, hoping to discover where exactly we were going. The screen was plotted in a longitude and latitude grid, which told me absolutely nothing. _Dang it!_

"Your brother's doing a pretty good job making things up to us."

"How's that? I asked for the boat before the remote incident happened." Carlos' face wore a confused expression.

"There's a large vase of flowers in the master bedroom from him. The card has your name on it, too, but I think they're more for me." I laughed at his grimace. "It was very thoughtful of him," I added.

"Flowers crossed my mind, but decided for the more direct route to your heart."

Checking that the girls were a safe distance away before responding, I said, "The make-up sex _was_ outstanding!"

Carlos placed his hands on either side of my chair and leaned down, brushing a kiss to my neck directly below my ear. He whispered, "That was only step one of my plan. Have you looked in the refrigerator?"

I shook my head, unable to think of anything except the feel of his upper body pressed into mine and his lips kissing down my neck. I tipped my head back to give him better access. I was floating on a wave of pleasure, until Julie's voice brought everything to an abrupt halt.

"Get used to it, Annie. They're like this all the time," she giggled, and I felt the color rise in my cheeks. Carlos dropped a quick peck to my lips before going back to the controls.

"I think I'll go get a drink. Anyone else want anything?" The girls chose lemonades, and Carlos asked for a bottled water. I went below to the small kitchen. When I opened the refrigerator, there sat a delicious looking pineapple upside down cake. I got the drinks, then made my way back topside.

Deciding to give Carlos his drink first, I climbed the steps to the platform where he stood. I placed the bottle in the cup holder and turned to him.

"I guess you're responsible for the cake in the refrigerator."

One sexy eyebrow traveled north. "I figured the cake would score more points with you than flowers."

"And there's whipped cream, too," I purred, running my tongue seductively around my lips.

Carlos' eyes darkened considerably. "Babe."

I gave him a flirty smile, then darted away, giving a little finger wave as I scurried down the stairs.

"What's up first, girls?" I asked, handing each of them a lemonade.

"I need to paint my nails!" Annie said, looking down at her bare toes.

Julie and I agreed that was an excellent idea. Since I hadn't had time to get a pedicure during the holidays, I'd brought all my stuff along. In no time, I'd set up an impromptu spa on the main deck. We did the whole works, fingers and toes, then stretched out on the benches to catch the late afternoon sun while the polish dried.

When the sun had completely left the horizon, the girls went below to watch a movie. I snuggled up on Carlos' lap in the captain's chair for the next hour, until he decided to drop the anchor. Everything became still, the motion hardly more than a slight rocking sensation. The wind blew softly, and the water sparkled like glitter where the moonbeams hit it. It was absolutely perfect. I could see a few lights from other boats off in the distance, but basically, we were all alone here in the vastness of the ocean. We'd lost sight of land hours ago.

Carlos guided me to the front deck. He positioned us on our backs, with my head cushioned on his shoulder, as we stared up at the stars. Without the lights of the city to distract from them, they appeared even brighter against the inky blackness of the sky.

"The North Star," Carlos said, pointing towards it.

"I was never any good at astronomy. Of course you would be," I teased.

Carlos gave a little laugh at my jab. "Actually, my Abuelo taught me, but the Rangers reinforced it and expanded the knowledge."

He showed me a few more stars before falling silent, each of us lost in our thoughts. I could hear his steady heartbeat from where my head rested. His strong arms wrapped around my body, made me feel protected, safe, and most of all, loved. I don't know if I'd ever felt more at peace. Carlos had noticeably relaxed, and our bodies seem to meld together.

"We should go to bed. It's close to midnight." He spoke softly, stirring me from the trance I'd fallen into.

After he secured the helm, we headed below and locked the door to the main room. The girls were asleep on the couch, and the big screen tv had faded to blue. Carlos carried each of them to the cabin they'd chosen to share, while I went to our room and got ready for bed. I put on one the silk teddies I'd packed in my suitcase. I was pulling back the bedding when Carlos walked into the room.

His dark chocolate eyes swept over my body, and he murmured, "You're beautiful, Babe."

He pulled me into his embrace. We lay down on the bed and lost ourselves in each other. It started as slow, soft kisses, our tongues gently tangling. Carlos paid special attention to every inch of my skin he unveiled as he pulled off my lingerie, growling when he finally tossed it to the floor.

He moved up until his body completely covered me. When his velvet hardness slid into me, I sighed as the feeling of perfection overwhelmed my senses. I'd never felt more complete than when Carlos was inside me. We were quiet as we made love, knowing without words we didn't want to wake Julie and Annie next door.

With his fingers trailing softly down my skin, Carlos found my bundle of nerves and began to stroke it in time with his thrusts, and when we were both hovering at the edge, he thrust hard one last time and tweaked my clit, sending me over the edge. My orgasm triggered his, and he swallowed our cries with a kiss.

Carlos stayed buried in me, even as he flipped our positions and pulled me down on top of his chest. We didn't speak a word, falling asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

I woke briefly the next morning to his kiss as he left to go workout in the small gym housed in the bow of the boat. The gentle sway of the ocean lulled me back to sleep in no time at all. When I woke again a couple of hours later, I could hear the laughs from the girls and Carlos' deep timbre. After a quick trip to the bathroom, I pulled on a swimsuit, then grabbed one of Carlos' shirts to use as a cover-up.

They were seated at the table on the back deck. Carlos rose from his chair as soon as he saw me cross the threshold of the open door.

"Good morning, Babe." He kissed me softly on the cheek. "I'll get you some coffee."

I sat in the empty seat next to where Carlos had been sitting. "Good morning, girls. What's the plan for today? Do you know, or is he still keeping everything a secret?"

Julie shook her head. "Dad still hasn't told us anything, but now that you're up, I think he's going to drop the jet skis in so we can go riding." She was nearly bouncing in her seat.

"That sounds like fun," I said as I selected a danish from the tray in the center of the table. In deference to my fiancé, I added a couple of pieces of fruit to my plate. He brought the mocha-colored coffee to me and rubbed my back gently before going down the stairs to lower the jet skis' platform.

After he instructed me on the operation of the jet ski, Annie got behind me, and Julie climbed on behind Carlos. I found driving the jet ski was similar to riding a motorcycle, only on water. We were out for a long time, racing each other, jumping wakes and just riding on the open water. When we returned to the boat, Carlos loaded them back onto their platforms. Once they were secured, he went to the helm and started the boat. I followed him up, watching as he typed in the navigational computer.

"When are you going to tell me where we're going?"

The corner of his mouth tipped up slightly as he considered me. "In about two hours, we'll be in Nassau."

"Really? The Bahamas?" I exclaimed. "Are we going ashore?"

"Yes. They have duty-free stopping downtown. I also have an appointment for us at four."

I tried to cock an eyebrow in invitation for him to elaborate, but he smiled and shook his head. Carlos was enjoying these surprises too much.

"What do I need to wear today?"

"You'll want to have your swimsuit for later. Aside from that, something comfortable. We'll be walking around quite a bit. Can you go tell the girls to get ready?"

"Umm, won't I need a passport?"

"Yeah, Babe. I've got it with us."

"When did I get one of those?"

"Glad to see you paid close attention to all the paperwork you filled out in your RangeMan employee packet," he teased.

"So sue me! I didn't read _all_ the papers. I've always trusted you!"

He pulled me into his embrace. "Yes, you have, even when everybody told you not to and it looked like I was on the wrong side of an issue." Carlos kissed my forehead. "I love you for that, and a hundred other reasons, too."

I rested my head against his chest and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Carlos," I murmured, tilting my head back to press a kiss to his lips.

"Told you, Annie," Julie commented from behind me. "They're like this all the time!"

Turning, I shot my soon-to-be stepdaughter a motherly glare, that didn't hold much heat obviously. She laughed at my attempt. _Note to self: Work on stern motherly expression._

"Guess what?" I teased the girls. "I know where we're going!"

Julie stomped her foot indigently. "No fair!"

"Let's go get dressed… maybe I'll tell you."

When everyone was ready, and they'd begged me to death to tell them what I knew, I finally relented and told them. They began jumping up and down. Their squeals had me throwing my hands over my ears to prevent hearing loss.

We decided to sit with Carlos when we got topside again. A few minutes later, Nassau came into view. The houses were painted in every color of the rainbow. The large hotel and the buzz of activity in the little town provided entertainment as Carlos guided us towards the marina, talking on the radio with the port authorities, who directed him to an available slip. Once we were tied onto the dock, he went below to change clothes and grab our paperwork.

After a brief stop at the customs office, where I received my first stamp in my passport, we were off to explore the city. It was a shopper's paradise! Carlos kept up with us, though he wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as the girls and I were. We had lunch at an outdoor café in the heart of the shopping district. When we'd visited nearly all the shops, we sat on a bench at the end of the dock while Carlos carried all our purchases back to the boat.

He grabbed my hand and Julie's as he rejoined us. Annie took hold of Julie's free hand, then we made our way back to the main street, where Carlos hailed a cab. He gave the driver an address, and we sped away. We pulled to a stop in front of a sign advertising the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Experience.

"_Oh my God_!" I exclaimed, squeezing Carlos' hand tightly and all but bouncing up and down in my seat. "Are we really going to get to swim with them?"

"Yeah, Babe. It's incredible."

We spent the next hour learning about dolphins and their behaviors, receiving instruction on what to do when we were in the water with them. After that, we were led to the staging area, where we met one of the dolphin trainers.

"Hi, my name is Erin. Welcome to the Dolphin Experience! Please raise your hand if you've never swum with dolphins before."

I was the only one in our small group that raised their hand. Erin walked over to me. "What's your name?"

"Steph."

"You're going to have a great time," she promised, then lowered her voice slightly. "I have to ask all the ladies, it's the policy of our company, but is there any chance that you're pregnant?"

My mind drifted for a moment as I tried to remember my last period, then the image switched to a vision of Carlos holding a son who shared his features. I smiled as he rocked the baby gently and spoke softly to him, a look of pride etched on his face as he glanced down at his son. I felt his breath before he spoke.

"Babe? Is there something you haven't told me?"

Okay, I was pretty sure I wasn't pregnant, but this was Batman's sperm we were talking about. I mentally did the math in my head, which took a minute or two, just to make absolutely sure.

When he spoke again, his voice held a hint of panic. "Stephanie?"

I turned around to look at him; his eyebrow was cocked up as far as I'd ever seen it. "Are you?" he questioned anxiously.

_Too bad I didn't plan this a little __better. I__ could have really __gotten__ him going__. _I shook my head, and he gave a very 'un-Ranger-like' sigh of relief. Then he whispered, "Someday…" and caressed the back of my hand.

Erin gave me a smile, asked each of the other women the same question, then began talking to the group again.

"When you enter the water, do so slowly. Let the dolphins come to you. Don't reach out to them." She went to hand Carlos a life jacket. Before she could, he reached behind him, and in the uniquely masculine way, pulled his shirt off.

"That's why we have…um…oh my…" Erin stuttered in mid-sentence, her eyes locked on Carlos' chest. Her arms went limp, and she dropped all the life jackets she was carrying. When she bent to pick them up, she stumbled and fell into the water.

I rolled my eyes. Carlos gave a little smirk and shrugged his shoulders. I reconciled myself to the fact that this was going to be a common occurrence in my life with Batman. He had quite an effect on the female population.

Erin was relieved from our group and replaced by a guy named Kurt. He finished getting everyone suited up, then we went into the water.

We were instantly surrounded by four dolphins. They swam around us, nudging at our legs and stopping to let us pet their soft, spongy skin. We got to play with them for nearly forty-five minutes. You could hold on to their dorsal fin, and they'd pull you through the water. It was so exhilarating. I loved every single minute of the experience, and spent most of the time laughing like a schoolgirl.

**RPOV**

When our time with the dolphins was up, I pulled myself onto the platform in one fluid motion, then bent to lift Stephanie from the water. I hugged her tightly to me. I'd enjoyed watching her more than being with the dolphins myself. Her laughter and playful nature were like a balm to some of the numerous injuries on my soul. She'd brought light into my dark world, and seeing her like this today made me appreciate her even more.

We went back to the boat to change and clean up, then had dinner at the Atlantis Hotel. While we were walking back to the dock, I gave the girls the option of sleeping at the marina on the boat, or pulling out into open water.

The decision was easily made, and within minutes, we were backing away from the dock. Stephanie sat on the front deck, with her feet dangling and her arms draped through the railing, watching the city slowly disappear.

Julie and Annie stayed with me and asked questions as I steered us away from the city. Once we were a far enough out that we couldn't see land, I dropped the anchor, then went to sit next to Stephanie. The girls went below to sort through their purchases from earlier today.

"What are you thinking about, Babe?"

"Nothing… and it's really nice," she said with a smile. "I feel like I don't have a care in the world. Life's pretty good right now."

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into my body. Her head gravitated to my shoulder, where it rested comfortably. "We've both lived stressful lives the past couple of years. It does feel good to relax. We needed it, which is why I chose this for our first real vacation."

"You did good, Batman!"

"I've still got a couple more surprises, Babe."

She laughed. "Of course you do."

Stephanie fell asleep on the couch after bankrupting herself in Monopoly. My daughter nearly beat me. She'd make a heck of a businesswoman someday, if she chose that career. I couldn't be more proud of the potential I saw in her.

Around eleven, I carried Stephanie to bed and spooned my body behind hers, feeling our connection almost as much as if we were joined together intimately.

The next morning, we watched the sunrise. I knew Stephanie wasn't particularly fond of getting up early enough to watch it, and it gave me a warm feeling to know she loved me enough to sacrifice a bit of her sleep to enjoy it with me.

After the sun was completely up, Stephanie made breakfast for everyonewhile I took a long swim. We spent the day on the jet skis and snorkeling. I wanted us to be at the marina by three, so I rallied my little troops back to the boat by two.

We returned to the slip we'd used yesterday, and left the boat, each of us with an overnight bag. When I gave the taxi driver the address for the Atlantis Hotel, Stephanie's eyes widened in surprise. At the front desk, I gave my name, and after I signed the registration, we were shown to a suite that was as big as the main level of our house in Miami. The girls had a separate bedroom on the opposite side of the suite from the master.

"Wow, Dad," Julie called from the wall of windows that faced the harbor. "You can see everything from here!"

"This is really nice," Annie agreed.

"We're going to celebrate New Year's Eve in the main ballroom downstairs and be up here for the fireworks at mid-night," I informed everyone. "If you want to take a nap, that might be a good idea. It's going to be a late night. Dinner's at eight."

The girls decided they were tired and went to their bedroom. Stephanie gave me a surprised look when I began stripping off my clothes to join her in our bed for a nap.

"I plan on keeping you awake most of the night," I smirked. "Go to sleep before I decide to bump up our celebration of the New Year."

Stephanie wiggled her nice little ass against my hard-on. I clenched my teeth and groaned, which got a giggle out of her. In the next minute, she was sound asleep. My fiancée's sleeping abilities defied belief. I enjoyed the even cadence of her breathing for several minutes before I gave into sleep myself.

I woke at six, took my shower, and changed into my suit, then woke the girls and Stephanie. I left the suite, choosing to go walk around downstairs while they got ready.

Stephanie was pinning up the last few strands of Julie's hair when I returned. The sight of them together always warmed my heart. The two most important people in my life, sharing a unique friendship built from their mutual love for me. It was a powerful feeling.

If someone had told the solitary, lonely man I'd been when I first met Stephanie that I'd be standing where I was today, well, I wouldn't have believed it. I would probably have wondered what sort of shit they'd been smoking. Even now, I sometimes could hardly believe how lucky I was.

"Annie, you look beautiful," I said, and watched as she blushed.

"Thank you. Stephanie did my hair, too."

"It looks very nice."

Julie was a picture, wearing a white dress that showed off her dark complexion. She took my breath away and made me wish she was younger again. I'd do things differently with her, given the chance. "Carina, you're turning into an amazing young woman."

"Aww, Dad." She rushed towards me, throwing her arms around my waist. I held her close, then kissed the top of her head.

"I need to grab my purse from the bedroom," Stephanie told us as she left the living room area.

"I'll be right back," I whispered to Julie before walking towards the bedroom.

"There they go again," Julie teased, causing Annie to giggle.

Stephanie's short, black, cocktail dress had an open back, the material falling to a drape right above the curve of her ass. The front dipped low too, showing an adequate amount of cleavage. She wore the matching earrings and necklace I'd given her for her birthday.

She was dropping her lipstick into her purse when I stepped in behind her, pressing kisses down her exposed back. Stephanie swayed a little, and I reached out to steady her, placing my hands on her hips. I traced my tongue back up the path I'd just traveled with my lips, causing her to moan. I nipped lightly where her neck and shoulder met, she dropped her purse. When she bent to get it, her dress rode up and flashed me a peek at her tiny black thong. _Fuck!_ I glanced at the clock. _Five more hours to wait!_ I wisely took a step back before things got way out of control.

"I think I'll step into the bathroom for a minute." When I turned to do that, she laughed.

"Problem, Batman?"

"Nothing that can't be handled later, Babe. Be ready."

I looked over my shoulder at her, she was chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. Her eyes held that glazed over look I knew so well. Yep, the evening ahead was going to be very enjoyable.

We had a wonderful dinner, then danced to the live band. Our table was frequently visited by several young men asking to dance with the girls. My intimidating stares only chased a couple of the smart ones away.

Stephanie patted my knee as the next one approached. "We're only here for two more hours. Nothing's going to happen. Let the girls have some fun."

My eyes tracked each of the girl's movements, even when Stephanie and I were on the dance floor. Stephanie shook her head. "What are you going to be like when she leaves on a date and you can't follow her?"

"Who says I can't follow her?"

"Carlos, you can't be serious! How would you have liked it if the girls' dads you dated followed you around when you were in high school?"

"That's exactly why I would, because I _was_ a teenage boy with a one track mind."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Not much has changed in that department," she teased.

"I've learned the art of multi-tasking." I cocked my eyebrow at her. "Are you complaining?"

"Nope, not me!"

When the countdown to the New Year began, I was kissing Stephanie. As the first strains of _Auld Lang Syne_ began, I released her and scooped my daughter up into my arms, planting a firm kiss on her cheek. I turned her in a circle once before setting her back on her feet. Annie was on my cell phone with her family, wishing them a Happy New Year, when I kissed her cheek softly.

"Fireworks begin in fifteen minutes," the lead singer of the band announced. "Please join us outside!"

I gathered our group together. "We can watch from our balcony."

The girls ooh'd and ahh'd as the fireworks lit up the sky and reflected off the water. I opened a bottle of champagne for Stephanie and me, and a bottle of carbonated juice for the girls. We clanked our glasses together in a toast, and polished off both bottles before the display ended.

Cheers went up as the last embers fell from the sky. Taylor Swift was singing on the Dick Clark's New Year's Eve show, so the girls said goodnight, then raced into their room to catch the performance.

Grabbing Stephanie's hand, I lead her into our bedroom. I closed the door and clicked the lock into place. She kicked off her shoes as she walked towards the bed, pulling the zipper down on her dress as she went. Stephanie turned back towards me, letting the dress fall to the floor. She stood in nothing but her lacy, see-through thong.

My cock sprang to attention.

"You're overdressed," she observed, then crooked her finger at me to come to her. "Let me help."

I kicked off my shoes, and Stephanie pulled my tie loose, then ran her hands inside my suit coat, pealing it off my shoulders. I undid my cufflinks while she laid my coat on the couch. When she returned, she slowly undid the buttons of my shirt, dropping kisses to the exposed skin. The shirt slid to the floor, and she reached for my belt. Seconds later, the pants joined the shirt at our feet. My socks were stripped off quickly, then she asked me to sit down on the bed.

She crawled between my legs, sealing her lips around the tip of my erection. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling as she slid most of me into her warm mouth. She sucked hard all the way back down my length, before repeating the process. I was painfully hard by this point, and wanted nothing more than to bury myself to the hilt inside her.

When she rose to her feet and crossed the room to her suitcase, I followed her movement. I felt my eyes widen in surprise as she carried two items back to the bed that I knew had to be from the black box.

"Babe, what did you bring along?"

"Just a couple of things that caught my eye." She tried for coy, but failed, as her cheeks tinted pink. "I don't know how this works." The color heightened on her face as she handed me the cock ring.

I shook my head. "You never disappoint." I grabbed the bottle of warming lotion she had in the other hand, and pulled her down on my lap.

She leaned down towards me, and I placed my hands on either side of her face and guided her mouth to mine. Our lips melded together. Tongues entwined. Teeth nipped softly for pleasure, not pain.

Twisting us around, I laid her on the bed. My lips traveled down the column of her neck to her full breasts. I opened the bottle of lotion, then applied a generous amount to each nipple, tracing a trail down her chest to her mound.

I ripped the thong off her body and tossed it to the floor. Next, I held the bottle directly above her pussy and let a long stream of lotion flow out. When I was satisfied with the amount, I used my fingertips to work it around her clit. I rubbed the lotion all along her folds, then slid two fingers inside her.

Stephanie grabbed the pillow and put it over her head to drown out her sounds of pleasure. We were back to stealth mode again because of the girls. I stroked in and out of her several times, just to make sure I'd gotten the lotion exactly where I wanted it.

"Is it getting warm?"

She lifted the pillow and nodded her head, then grabbed the bottle. Stephanie filled her palm and reached for my cock. Not a spot was missed; she even applied it to my balls.

The cock ring was a snug fit, but I pushed it all the way down until it rested at the base of my erection. I opened her folds with my fingers, then slowly slid inside her with one long stroke. She slapped her hand across her mouth and bit into the fleshy part of her palm.

I licked at her nipple, giving her time to stretch to accommodate me. Since I hadn't stimulated her much with my fingers, she was still very tight. It was an effort to fight back the urge to pound into her, but I knew that would cause her too much discomfort, both now and tomorrow. I didn't want her sore; I had lots more of this planned for these early morning hours of the New Year.

When the pressure eased some around my cock, I slowly began to move. Her legs wrapped around my waist. Once I was completely buried, I'd rock against the cock ring. The raised areas on the ring would rub at her clit. I increased the pressure every time I used the ring.

"Ummm…I think I like this toy a lot," she gasped between thrusts. "The lotion is really heating up, too!"

"I know, Babe." Her pussy was so fucking hot, I didn't know how much longer I was going to last. She'd already had at least two orgasms, and was quickly approaching number three.

Stephanie traced one of my nipples with her fingernail. It tightened into a nub from her attention. My cock began to pulse. I was so close. I sped up the tempo, determined to drive her over the edge with me. Two strokes later, she sucked in a breath and held it, then her pussy contracted. I thrust deep once more and let go.

We lay together, sweaty, sated, and tangled in the sheets. Her head rested above my heart while her breathing returned to normal. I rubbed my hand down her back, comforting her and myself at the same time.

"You know," I said, breaking the silence we'd fallen into, "they say you should start the New Year doing what you want to do for the rest of the year."

I couldn't help but agree when she sighed and murmured, "It's going to be a _great_ year."

**TBC**

Author's note: I know we're all very busy with our summer plans and activities, but please take a moment to leave a review! I don't know if I've ever worked harder on a chapter. This one really took it out of me! Thanks in advance! ~Angie


	29. Kaboom!

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 29-Kaboom!

Disclaimer: Not mine, they're hers, only the characters you don't recognize from canon are mine. I may not have Ranger, but Raphael is all mine! Hey, he's Ranger's brother…that ain't bad!

Author's note: Okay, I'm in shock. Last week's chapter was my best reviewed so far! Yippeee! Ironically, it was also the most difficult to write. Thank goodness, this week went better and I didn't have to learn how to type while hanging upside down by my toes. (Reviewers know what I'm referring to. LOL!) Thank you for all the reviews and tremendous support I received through PMs. I treasure each one!

My plot-players were all over the place with their opinions on this week's questions. That intrigues me. I'll be reviewing all of them again before I write that chapter. Thanks and a special shout out to: CB60, bgrgrmpy, concetta33, Milenab, ty93, rangerslee, Barb117, AmandaBabe, Dikent, Rangemansbabe, bitte-d'amour, hapshepsut25alc, financebabe, forever babe and Girliegirl1179.

An acknowledgment for my Super-Beta Jenny, aka Smut Queen. She wrote the pool scene smut in this chapter. I'd planned to write it, but in early edit, she volunteered. I decided to let her flex her muscles and show everyone why I consider her the Smut Queen. All hail the Queen! Love ya, Babe! Thanks for the great job you do for me every week! You've truly made this story so much better.

**RPOV**

I checked the bedside clock. Twenty minutes until 0500. Stephanie's leg was thrown over mine, her head rested on my shoulder, and her arm lay across my waist, a mere three inches from my morning wood. I relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of her holding on to me as if I was her lifeline.

Today was Monday, the first day back to work after our vacation. We'd had a great time. Stephanie kept telling me how much she'd enjoyed being on the boat and all the little side day trips we'd taken. That reaffirmed my plan for our honeymoon… It was going to be perfect.

Julie and Annie were a lot of fun to have along, too. We got to spend time with them, and having them with us hadn't made it feel 'crowded' or not allowed us to have some alone time together. I'd been very pleased by the entire trip, and wouldn't have changed a moment of it.

After we'd dropped the girls off, we had come home, unpacked, and fallen into bed. Stealth mode had been deactivated. Her cries of pleasure, and a few of mine, had echoed off the walls. Fuck, being with Stephanie was off the charts. I'd never had a woman who did it for me like she did. I knew that my emotional attachment played a sufficient part of that, but honestly, I'd been attracted to her sexually from the moment I'd met her, and that had only gotten stronger over the years.

It was time to get out of bed, before I didn't have the willpower and took her like I was dying to do. I wanted to get my lifting routine in before I woke her for our morning run. Yeah, she wasn't going to be a happy camper about that, but we had to get back on our schedule. The holidays had everything out of whack; it was time to buckle down.

I slid out of bed carefully, placing my pillow in the vacancy my body had left. She curled around it, murmured my name softly, and drifted back to sleep.

As I walked to the bathroom, I realized this was the start of our 'normal, everyday' life. _Right, Manoso, like anything in your life is normal. _What I'd meant was that, for the first time since we'd moved to Miami, we didn't have something going. It had been a whirlwind of activity the whole time. Between Julie's accident and the holidays, we hadn't really had just our work and each other. I was actually looking forward to settling into a routine.

Speaking of routines, I needed to get downstairs to the gym. After about an hour, I was ready to go running. Time to wake up Sleeping Beauty.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I traced gently down the side of her face, pushing several strands of hair behind her ear before leaning down to whisper, "Babe, time to get up."

She groaned, but didn't move.

"Stephanie," I said a little louder, and rubbed down her back firmly.

Still no response.

_Time to get more aggressive._ I pulled the sheet down and exposed her naked breasts. My cock rose to attention. I kissed a trail down her neck, then circled a nipple with my tongue. It hardened into a tight nub. She moaned. I licked my way over to the other breast and gave it the same treatment, only ending with sucking the nub into my mouth. She purred and buried her hands in my hair.

"Good morning, Batman."

"Morning, Babe."

"What time is it?"

"It's running time. Let's go!"

"Arrgghh." She groaned her complaint, and tried to roll to her side, away from me.

"Oh no, c'mon, Babe, you're not getting out of it." I grabbed her shoulder, stopping her movement.

She flopped onto her back and cracked one eye open, shooting a death glare out of it.

"That's not going to work. I'm not scared of you."

Stephanie's eyes flicked to the bedside clock, then she squeaked, "Six a.m.! You should be scared. It's too early, and I haven't had any coffee!"

"We have to get an early start. We need to be at the office for the Monday morning meeting by eight. How about we only run five miles?"

"Two," she countered.

"Four."

"Three." She wasn't giving up.

"Three and a half, final offer."

"Fine!" she snapped sarcastically, then threw back the covers on the bed. She stomped into the bathroom, and I went to go grab her running clothes, giving her a few minutes alone to collect herself.

When I walked into the bathroom, she was at the sink, brushing her teeth. I laid the clothes on the counter, then massaged her shoulders and neck.

"Babe, I just want you to stay healthy."

"I know. I'm sorry I snapped at you. I hate early mornings!"

She leaned back into my chest, and I absorbed her weight, wrapping my arms around her waist. I pressed a kiss to her temple, then stepped back.

"I'll wait for you downstairs."

Stephanie nodded her head, and I left the room. Fifteen minutes later, we were jogging down the beach together. As often happened when I ran, I used the time to center myself and collect my thoughts. I decided to distract her by bringing up a few subjects we needed to talk about.

"We should probably start finalizing some of the plans for our wedding."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," she panted the words out.

"Do you want to hire a coordinator?"

There was a long pause while she considered. "I don't know, do you think we need one?"

"Up to you, Babe. We could plan it, and then have Michelle and Ella follow it through."

"Okay, let's give that a try. I'll start looking for caterers and photographers this afternoon."

"I'll talk to Raphael about a band, and look for an officiant."

We continued to discuss plans, agreeing to each take a couple of items to research, then talk about them when we got home. By the time we arrived back at the house, we'd run nearly five miles.

"That was longer than three and a half, wasn't it?" She turned back to me on the pool deck, hands placed firmly on her hips.

"Yeah," I said, flashing her a wry smile. "You did all right, didn't you?"

She shook her head. "I shouldn't say this, because I'll regret it, but I hardly noticed. This morning's run wasn't that bad."

"It's all about distraction, Babe."

Stephanie grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me to her. She rubbed her breasts seductively against my chest, then ran her hands under my shirt. When she pinched at my nipples, I groaned, closing my eyes to enjoy the sensation. In the next instant, I was falling backwards into the pool. Stephanie's laughter got drowned out as I went under the water.

When I surfaced, she teased, "I'm an expert at distraction, Batman."

"You are, Babe. You are," I agreed as I stripped off my shirt and tossed it onto the deck. Next, I removed my shoes and socks, throwing them on top of my shirt. By the time I was naked, Stephanie's eyes had glazed over.

"Care to join me? The water's warm. You can strip right there. I won't turn my back."

Stephanie chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, then she glanced down to the beach.

"No one can see you but me. I made sure the landscaping protected the privacy of the pool. Lose the clothes, Babe."

She toed off her shoes and pulled her socks off, then reached around to the side zipper of her sports bra and slid it down. As soon as it was off, she wiggled out of her shorts and panties.

I got a flash of her naked body before she dove into the water. I swam over to her, kissing her firmly on the mouth when she surfaced. Her hands moved from my shoulders, down my chest until they arrived at my cock. One hand wrapped around it, while the other pulled lightly at my balls.

She stroked me for several long minutes, until I couldn't stand not being inside her any longer. I quickly moved us a bit further to the shallow end, and when she wrapped her legs around my waist, I slid deep inside her.

She wound her fingers in my hair, and I used one hand on her hip to help raise and lower her on my cock. Being surrounded by the water kept our pace slow. Gentle. Our movements created small waves, which helped rock our bodies together even more.

As I leaned forward to capture her lips with mine, her nipples brushed against my chest. We both moaned into each other's mouths at the contact. With one hand still on her hip, I moved the other between us to tweak at her nipples, pulling another half-whimper, half-moan from her.

"Carlos," she moaned softly, her voice trembling with the same desire I was feeling.

I moved my hand down from her breasts until my finger was circling her clit. I sucked hard on the spot right behind her ear and rolled her clit between my fingers, wanting to feel her come around me. She stiffened in my arms, her heels digging into my back as she came apart.

Her whimpered cries pulled me over the edge with her. I lost the tentative hold I had on my control and thrust hard one last time, my orgasm shattering me. I growled her name, then began murmuring in Spanish. "Cristo, bebé, usted siente tan bueno. That' s, viene para mí. ¡Dios, usted es hermoso! Te amo, Stephanie." (Christ, Babe, you feel so good. That's it, come for me. God, you are beautiful! I love you, Stephanie.)

We stayed floating in the water with me inside her, wrapped in each other's arms, for several long minutes, Stephanie's forehead was resting on my shoulder, until our breathing evened out. Finally, she pulled away slightly and kissed me once before speaking.

"I love you, too, Carlos," she said softly. Then she smirked and continued, "I can't wait. My Spanish lessons start next week!"

We both laughed, the movement jostling us enough that I slid from her inside her. After a moment, I said, "Unfortunately, as much as I would love to hang out and have a repeat performance, it's time to get ready for work, Babe."

She nodded, then wrapped herself around me and kissed me once more. I scooped her up in my arms, chuckling when she squealed, and moved us through the water to the pool steps. When I got to our clothes, I leaned down enough that Steph could grab them, then continued on through the house and up to the bathroom so we could shower off quickly and get dressed for work.

We had five minutes to spare when we parked in the garage. I needed to talk to Raphael before the meeting, and return the keys to his boat. I kissed Steph's cheek and told her I'd meet her in the conference room at eight.

I knocked once on Raphael's door, then stepped inside. He was sitting at his desk, lost in thought.

"Hey, bro," I greeted. "Thanks for the boat. We had a great time. I'm going to go ahead with my plans."

"Huh?" His voice was laced with confusion. He stared at me for a long moment, then his eyes brightened in understanding. "Oh, yeah, right."

We briefly discussed several points on the agenda to make sure we were both on the same page.

Before I turned to leave, I asked, "Is something wrong?" He wasn't acting right.

Raphael shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think wrong is the right word. I'm... confused."

"Confused about what?"

"I had a date with Isabella on Saturday night."

I nodded my head. Stephanie had told me that he'd mentioned it to her before we'd left with the boat. "And?"

"It's weird. We went out, had a really nice time, and didn't end up having sex. In fact, that won't be happening with her at all," he paused, raised his eyebrow, then added, "unless I marry her." He cringed at that thought. "Anyway, there's something about her that doesn't make getting her into bed my sole objective." Raphael finished by muttering under his breath, "Which means my celibacy will be lasting a lot longer than thirty days."

"Did you just say celibacy? In reference to yourself?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Raphael nodded and groaned. "How did I get myself talked into this?"

"Talked into what, exactly?"

"Stephanie and I made a deal. I wouldn't have sex for thirty days, and she'd get me a dinner date with Isabella." Raphael shook his head in disgust. "Stephanie seems to think all I want out of a woman is sex."

I couldn't stop the slight grin. _Nice__ job, __Babe. Pick__ his most vulnerable spot! _"Wonder where she got that idea?"

"Look who's talking. My brother, the monk," Raphael quipped.

"I went nearly two years without sex, waiting for Stephanie."

"You expect me to believe you didn't have sex for two years? Carlos Manoso without a woman that long? No way."

I didn't respond, just cocked my eyebrow at him.

"Fuck, bro, if that is what's going to happen to me with Isabella, just shoot me now and put me out of my misery. I'll never last that long!"

Stephanie's head peeked around the door. "Ooohh, did I hear Isabella's name?"

Raphael looked up at Stephanie. "This is all your fault," he teasingly accused, pointing his finger at her.

"Is not," she defended.

"Is, too," he countered.

"Children," I warned. "Don't we have a meeting we're now late for?"

"That's why I came to get you," Stephanie said, then turned and mouthed 'later' to Raphael.

My brother's and Stephanie's antics always lightened my mood, as long as a remote wasn't involved, that is, and just added another layer of contentment to my life.

They'd turned into great friends, and already had a comical sibling relationship. Raphael was used to dealing with sisters. In our family, it was the two of us against them, but Stephanie had never enjoyed that kind of relationship with her sister.

Now, like everything else she did in her life, she'd plunged into it with gusto. I had to respect that. As far as I could tell, Stephanie's relationship with her sister was strained at best, even during the good times. Stephanie seemed to do a constant comparison with her sister, and always managed to find herself lacking in some way.

I figured this was mainly because of the way Helen constantly beat Stephanie's spirit down, while praising Valerie's. Stephanie's relationship with her mother had improved, and I credited our move to Miami as one of the many motivators.

When we walked into the conference room, all the other RangeMan locations were on the video screens. As the first meeting of the new year got underway, I was filled with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

RangeMan was successful; last year's bottom line reflected an all-time high. The restructuring plan was taking shape as Raphael prepared to shoulder more of the business end of the company, allowing me more free time.

There'd still be trips to the other offices and long hours when I worked, but I'd have a lot more flexibility with my personal life. I could also do most of my work via phone or the computer, so no matter what we did, I'd never be out of touch or unable to keep a handle on things. Plus, Raphael wouldn't hesitate to tell me if he needed help.

In June, Stephanie would be my wife, something that seemed completely unfathomable to me a year ago. But now, my bright future with her lay ahead. I couldn't be happier about it.

It's a wonder I didn't walk around with a permanent smile. All my years of practicing the blank face, as Stephanie calls it, has paid off. Behind the bad-ass, ex-Black Ops, Army Ranger lay a perfectly content, blissfully happy man.

**SPOV**

It was always a little surreal to sit through these meetings. First, I was the only female in attendance. While that would make most women uncomfortable, it didn't bother me. Carlos sat to my right, and Raphael to my left.

The screen which showed the Trenton RangeMan office reflected a room full of tough guys that were as close to me as brothers. I knew that any of them would lay down their lives for me without hesitation. That was a powerful type of love, one I'd never known before meeting Carlos.

The success and volume of business RangeMan did a year was staggering. Sometimes, the reality check of who I was marrying startled me. Ranger, and later Carlos, had always been a friend, and while I knew he was wealthy, I didn't realize how much we were talking about until I started working full-time at RangeMan.

He'd never made me feel small or unworthy because I didn't have a lot of money, only offered his support when things didn't go my way. And after our first night together, all that help came with no price. Sure, we'd had some bad moments and misunderstandings, but he'd always been there when I needed him the most.

Objectives for the coming year were presented by each location, then Carlos and Raphael offered recommendations on how to achieve each of those items. Carlos closed the meeting with thanks to all his employees, and said pay raises would be in effect the next payroll period.

The room cleared for the most part. I spoke to the guys from Trenton for a bit before they signed off. Carlos leaned over as their video feed screen faded to black.

"Babe, I've got a meeting with the accountants in fifteen. It'll probably last until three. I'll catch up with you when I'm done, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll work on the wedding stuff during lunch."

"That's good. Let's grab a pizza for dinner tonight, then we'll look over what you find."

I nodded my head. He cupped my face in his hands and guided our mouths together. I moaned softly as his tongue slid past my lips. I clenched his shirt in tight fists, holding him to me.

As it always did, the world around us disappeared. We lost ourselves in each other. When we came up for air, our eyes locked on one another. I was vaguely aware of someone drumming their fingers on the tabletop.

I flicked my eyes over my left shoulder and found Raphael's smiling face.

"Don't mind me," he teased. "I like to watch."

"Raphael," Carlos threatened in a deadly quiet tone.

"Chill, bro. I have to take my fun where I can find it. Thirty days might as well be eternity."

I felt my mouth fall open. "You told him about that?" I asked Raphael, who nodded his head.

Swiveling back around to face Carlos, I found one sexy eyebrow arched up. I gave him a not-so-innocent grin.

He shook his head. "Babe."

Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "Hey, he needs a time-out. He has an unhealthy addiction. Think of this as an early intervention."

"He asked me to shoot him earlier. It was a hard opportunity to pass up, but I decided watching him suffer would be much more gratifying. The way it sounds, thirty days is just the beginning."

Carlos rose from his seat with a chuckle. "Bro, I'll see you in a couple minutes." He pressed a kiss to my temple, then whispered, "Love you, Babe."

When the door shut behind him, I turned my chair back to face Raphael. "Soooo… how _was_ your date on Saturday night?"

Raphael smirked. "It was fun and… uneventful at the end, which I'm sure makes you very happy."

"My happiness isn't the issue. Will Isabella be going out with you again?"

He flashed that beautiful Manoso smile. "Yes. We're going out Thursday night. She has to work this weekend, and I have a gig with my band."

"What does she do? I heard something about a club the other day."

This question caused Raphael to laugh out loud. "You're never going to believe this, but she and her brother own a strip club called Illusions."

I'm sure the shocked expression on my face was priceless. "Seriously? Please tell me she doesn't strip."

"I wish," he sighed, and I thumped in the arm, hard. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing at the spot I'd just hit. _The big baby._ "No, she runs the business end of things. She'd never go on stage. Ever." He muttered under his breath, "Damn the luck!"

"I'm telling you, you have a sickness."

"Whatever," he mumbled.

Deciding to switch topics, I asked, "Has she lived in Miami her whole life?"

"For the most part. She went to college at Harvard, but other than that, she's been here. Why?"

"Do you think she could recommend some people for our wedding? Caterers, photographers, and things like that. I'm not familiar with who to use down here yet."

"I think she could do that. She said something about the two of you going shopping sometime."

"Yeah, we talked about it. Do you have her number?"

Raphael reached into his pocket for his Blackberry. He scrolled through his contacts, then wrote her number down on the legal pad in front of him. He tore off the piece of paper and handed it to me. "I'd better get going. Don't want to piss off the boss. He's mean when he's mad. My ribs still hurt!" He winked at me, then left.

I gathered up my papers from the meeting and headed to my cubicle. Carlos had discussed plans to provide me with a small, private office between his and Raphael's. I didn't think it was necessary. I was happy in my cubicle, but he insisted, so I didn't argue about it anymore. I guess in a month or a little more, I'd be moving into an office.

While my computer booted up, I sorted through my inbox, separating the work from the most to least pressing. At one o'clock, I stopped, stood up, and stretched my sore muscles before heading to the breakroom for lunch.

Pulling open the refrigerator, I glanced at the contents with disgust. Of course, there wouldn't be any of _my_ favorites. I selected a grilled chicken salad with low-fat dressing, _yuck_, and a fruit cup. I grabbed a cup of ice, then headed back to my desk.

I took my purse out of my desk drawer, and dug through it until I located the can of Coke I'd brought from home. I'd also packed a Tastykake from the supply Mary Lou had sent me for Christmas. _I love her!_ They didn't sell them here in Miami. The butterscotch cake was lined up to be my mid-afternoon snack. _Yum!_

Before I started searching for caterers, I decided to call Isabella. I dialed her number, and she answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Isabella. It's Stephanie Plum. We met at Raphael's."

"Yes, Stephanie. How are you?"

"I'm good. We're starting to make wedding plans, and I have no idea who to call down here. Ya know, caterers, florists, and photographers. Would you be interested in making some suggestions?"

"Oh, I'd love to! How about we have lunch tomorrow? We could go shopping at my friend's place afterwards."

"That sounds great! What time?"

"Noon work for you?"

"Sure. I can adjust my hours here at RangeMan. Carlos and Raphael are working late tomorrow night on an apprehension anyway, so that'll work out great."

Isabella named a restaurant I was familiar with, and I agreed to meet her there. Before we got off the phone, she asked, "Will you see Raphael today?"

A smile spread across my face. "Yeah, probably," I answered vaguely.

"Tell him hello for me, will you?"

"I can. By the way, I'm interested in hearing how your date went with him the other night."

"He told you about that?"

"Not since you went out, but he told me he had a date scheduled with you on Saturday. So…" I lead her along.

"Let's just say it turned out better than I expected," she said, and there was a hint of surprise in her voice. Her tone dropped as she added, "It was an intriguing experience."

"I can't wait to hear more about it. I'll see you tomorrow at noon."

"Yeah, see you then. Bye, Stephanie."

I told her good-bye, disconnected, and leaned back in my seat, smiling broadly. _Oh boy, Raphael had met his match._

The remainder of my lunch hour was spent looking at invitations. The ones I liked the most, I printed and put into a binder to show Carlos later.

We stopped at my new favorite pizza place on our way home. It wasn't Pino's, but they still had great pizza. After dinner, we sat outside and looked through the binder. We selected the invitations and wording we wanted from one of the online companies I had found. I'd place the order tomorrow.

Carlos had the names of two bands that Raphael had recommended. We made plans to go listen to each of them at their respective gigs this weekend. I told him about my plans with Isabella for lunch tomorrow, and how I was going to adjust my hours.

"Babe, you know what has to get accomplished at work. You can set your hours however you want." He twisted one of my curls around his finger while he continued talking. "If you can't get something done, pass it to Spike. He'll help you out."

"Okay, I will, but I'll just work late tomorrow night, since you're out anyway."

"I hope to wrap up by ten, but it could be later. Just come on home if you're ready to go back and I'm not there yet."

"I'll take the Lamborghini tomorrow morning so I'll have a car."

He nodded, then asked if I'd like to go for a walk on the beach. We left hand-in-hand, walking along the surf with only the moonlight to guide our way. It was a wonderful way to wind down the day, and when we got back home, we went straight upstairs. We snuggled into bed. One thing lead to another, and several orgasms later, I sighed deeply and fell asleep.

Isabella was waiting for me the next day at a table by the window. She waved when she saw me. We exchanged pleasantries and placed our lunch orders. After the waitress walked away, Isabella reached into her extra large handbag and withdrew a folder. She passed it across the table to me.

"I put this all together for you. I thought it might be simpler that way."

I flipped the folder open and gasped in surprise. She'd listed at least three recommendations for every possible thing you'd ever need for a wedding, along with numbers and locations. Some of the items even contained personal notes.

"Wow!" I said, clearly impressed with the information plainly presented in a logical, straight-forward manner.

Isabella's cheeks colored slightly in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I might have gone a little overboard."

"No, not at all. This must have taken you quite a bit of time. Thanks!"

"It didn't take that long. I'm pretty quick with computer work. Besides, it was fun! I've helped a few of my friends with their wedding plans, and I found I really enjoy it."

"Carlos will like this, too. He's an organized thinker like you."

"And how about you?" Isabella rested her head on her hand while she waited for my response.

Laughing, I said, "I'm more a 'fly by the seat of my pants' type of woman."

"Ah, you're like my brother, Juan. Which I guess balances the running of our club. You have to be able to think quick on your feet when something happens, or all hell can break loose."

I grimaced as I envisioned some of what might go on in an evening at their club. "Do you like what you're doing?"

"Honestly, I'm not out on the floor that much. Most of the time, I'm behind the scenes, keeping everything running. Juan's better suited for out front. Believe it or not, I'm really shy." She shook her head. "I know that sounds insane, considering I'm part owner of a strip club, but it's true. That's why I don't know how Rafe and I will work out. I mean, does he have a shy bone in his body?"

That caused me to laugh out loud. Raphael was a lot of things, but shy wasn't among them. "No, I don't think he does, though that isn't a reason why you can't have a relationship with him. Carlos and I are very different, and we make it work. It's all about balance and friendship, I think."

"He's really a nice guy. We had fun on our date the other night. He has all the qualities I've always looked for in a man. And when the date was over, I didn't have to worry about dealing with the tension that always seems to happen at the end, when the guy realizes I'm _not_ going to bed with him. Raphael promised me he wouldn't even press for a good night kiss, and he didn't. I feel like I can trust him."

I nodded my head in understanding, because I knew exactly what she was talking about. I'd felt the same thing the first time I met Ranger, and he'd never let me down.

"You should trust him. The Manoso men are nothing if not honest."

"Well, I've agreed to go out with him again on Thursday, and I have to say, I'm looking forward to seeing him."

She picked up her wine glass and signaled me to do the same. "I propose a toast," she said, as we raised our glasses. "To relationships that balance each other."

And so began a new friendship with Isabella. We differed in a lot of ways, but we found we actually liked that. We finished our day with shopping. She had excellent taste. I came home with two new outfits that looked great on me, but were not something I'd normally pick out for myself.

I was so excited to have a girlfriend here in Miami that I was bouncing off the walls when I returned to RangeMan to finish my day. Carlos and Raphael strolled in around ten o'clock. They came right over to my cubicle.

"Babe, you didn't wait for me, did you?" he asked as he leaned down and dropped a kiss to the top of my head.

"No. Well, yeah, maybe a little, but mainly, I'm trying to find the bottom of my inbox. Only one more search to go, and I'm there!"

"You do that, and I'll go complete the paperwork for the take-down tonight. Let's plan to head home in twenty, okay?"

"Sure, Batman."

Carlos walked towards his office, and Raphael propped a hip on my desk.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Normally, I'd hit a club. However, since I'd still have to go home and sleep alone, I think I'll save myself the trouble. Besides, I kinda want to see where this is leading with Isabella first. Have you called her?"

"Yes, and I had lunch with her today. I think we're going to be great friends."

Raphael's eyebrow arched. "Should I be worried about you two ganging up on me?"

"Me?" I asked, innocently holding my hand to my chest while batting my eyelashes at him. "Why would you worry about me?"

"Oh shit, what do you have planned?"

"Hmmm, I guess that's for me to know and you to find out."

"Stephanie, I told you I was sorry. I'm already doing the thirty day no sex thing."

"Yeah, but that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with getting Isabella to go out with you. She says, 'Hi,' by the way."

"What else did she say?"

"I'm not telling you anything but that. The rest was girl talk. Now scoot, I need to get this search finished so I can leave with Carlos."

Raphael mocked a sad expression, hung his head, and slumped his shoulders. "Have fun. I'll just go home all alone to my big empty bed."

"Poor baby," I cooed, patting his knee and rolling my eyes.

He moped away from my desk at a slow pace. I called to him, "If you're looking for sympathy from me, I'm fresh out!"

Raphael's laughter rang out as he left the office. Carlos came to my desk ten minutes later, and we headed home.

The next few days fell into an easy, comfortable pattern as we balanced our home and professional lives. At night, we'd work on the wedding plans, which were coming together well. All the big decisions were made. The florist and caterer were booked on Friday afternoon. Saturday night, we hired the second band we went to see. We had an appointment with a photographer on Monday. We'd already seen her work, and both liked it, so I suspected we'd sign a contract with her after our meeting.

That only left my dress; it was something Carlos wouldn't be helping me with. Even though we weren't following all the traditions, I still wanted to keep my wedding dress a surprise for him. But I didn't want to meet the designer by myself. I wanted an honest opinion from an outside source. It came on Sunday night.

Raphael called late Sunday afternoon to invite us over to his house for dinner. After we agreed, he said he was going to call Isabella and see if she'd like to stop by when she got off work.

We'd just sat down on the deck with drinks when she arrived. Raphael went to get the door, and when he returned holding her hand, I smiled. They made a cute couple.

The evening passed with friendly conversation and a delicious meal. Isabella and I had been surprised that it had been completely prepared by Raphael. Maria Manoso had trained her boys well. They were both excellent cooks.

Isabella squealed, "I'd love to go!" when I asked her to help me with the design of my wedding dress.

I told her of my appointment on Tuesday afternoon. We decided to meet at the same restaurant we'd used before, and go together from there.

On Tuesday morning, I was grabbing my purse and turning to leave when Raphael stopped me. He dangled keys from his fingertips.

"I'm going to let you take the Spider," he said with hesitation, "because I know how much Isabella loves my car. I thought riding in it will remind her of me."

I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway, BE CAREFUL! She's not the only one that loves that car."

"I'm always careful," I defended as I plucked the keys from his fingers. "I've driven it once already and nothing happened, remember?"

"Yes, I do. Just make sure that pattern repeats itself."

"Yeah, yeah. See you later," I called to Raphael. After a quick trip into Carlos' office for a kiss, I took the stairs to the garage.

When the engine roared to life, I gave a little shudder. I'd gotten used to the sensation since I normally drove the Lamborghini now, but still, it always got my attention.

Isabella was clearly impressed as I told her Raphael had given me the car for the day because of her. "He's a sweetheart," she whispered, more to herself than me.

I parked the car at the curb, and we went inside Marco Dananti's studio. We spent the next three hours pouring over sketches until we finally had a finished drawing.

Isabella had been a huge help. Honestly, I didn't know what I would have done without her. She gave straight-forward advice and opinions, instead of just agreeing with whatever I suggested. I was in love with the dress already, and knew it was going to look perfect.

The first fitting was scheduled for the third week in February. The receptionist gave me an appointment card, while Isabella entered the date and time into her Blackberry, because I'd insisted she come back with me to see it.

We were walking out of Marco's studio when two cars collided together in the intersection. We watched in horror as they slid towards Raphael's Porsche.

Isabella screamed, "Nnnooooo!" as they slammed into his car.

The drivers of both cars jumped out and began cursing at each other.

Then I heard that all too familiar 'whooshing' sound, and I knew what was about to happen.

"Everyone, get down!" I yelled, and pushed Isabella down on the sidewalk, covering her with my body as the Raphael's Spider went, _KABOOM!_

**TBC**

Author's end note: This ending scene, of the car blowing up, was a plot question response from rangerslee, (aka the 'real' Isabella). Thanks, Babe!

Please review! I'm riding a high after last chapter and I'd love to stay on it. Thanks!


	30. Explosive Romance

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 30-Explosive Romance

Disclaimer: JE owns them, I play with them. I haven't read 16, but I'm hearing good things. Lots of yummy Ranger interactions! Yippee!

Author's notes: I'd like to thank the 'real' Isabella for her friendship and support of this story. Part of this chapter was brainstormed during a phone conversation with her.

The ideas for Valentine's Day were a combination of several of my plot-players, who all wanted to see a simple, romantic day without a lot of fanfare. I hope you aren't disappointed. The main idea belonged to sirusyellowlab, thanks to all of you!

I'd also like to thank, Vulcan Rider, for her research and expert opinion regarding motorcycles! Thanks, Babe!

Last week's plot question was nearly a 50/50 split, but it looks like at this time I will not being doing a separate side story for Raphael. He'll continue to a major player in this story. Thanks to all of last week's plot-players for their honest opinions: siriusyellowlab, Ryl, sassyvampmama, LeiaB, time4tea, babe4ever52, Barb4psu, rangergirl1234, Milenab, ty93, forever babe, hapshepsut25alc, AmandaBabe and JenRar.

Special thanks to my friend, sounding board and personal cheerleader, Cara. Love ya, Babe.

Final thanks to SuperBeta Jenny. She simply ROCKS, no question about it! She even comes up with clever chapter titles and claims that isn't her thing! LOL.

**RPOV**

Raphael and I were in my office, pouring over blue-prints and schematics for a large industrial complex that RangeMan would be providing security for, when the door banged open, hitting the wall hard in the process. Raphael and I had our weapons drawn and pointed at the door before the noise resounded in the room.

"What the fuck?" I demanded, looking at Spike, who had a shocked look on his face. "Do you need me to take you down to the mats and remind you to knock?"

"Sorry, sir. No, sir," Spike stuttered out nervously. "Sir, the Spider just went offline!"

"_What_?" Raphael exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

I held up my hand to stop any further chaos. All that was important at that moment was my fiancée. "Stephanie's tracker. Is it still online?"

"Yes, sir. The only one offline is Raphael's Spider."

Raphael groaned and mumbled something under his breath about 'knowing it wasn't a good idea to let her have the car.' I left him to his ramblings, and dialed Stephanie's cell. She answered in the middle of the first ring.

"It wasn't my fault!" she said immediately.

I could hear the screaming of sirens and raised voices in the background. A woman kept repeating, "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!"

"Are you all right?"

"Yes."

"Who is that in the background?"

"Which one? Good grief, I can barely hear myself think!"

"The 'oh my God' woman."

"Oh, her. Isabella. Hang on." There was a slight pause. "Isabella! Snap out of it, we're okay!"

"I know," she wailed. "It's not us, it's the car! Oh my God, the car!"

"Babe, we're on our way."

I flipped the phone shut and rose from my seat. Raphael fell in step behind me as I told Spike to pull the coordinates to Stephanie's tracker and send it to my RangeMan Hummer's GPS.

"My car, bro. What about my car?"

"We'll find out when we get there."

Raphael grew eerily quiet in the passenger's seat as I drove us towards the location. We had to park nearly two blocks away. The area in front of the studio was a swarm of activity, with fire trucks, police cruisers, ambulances, and the local television stations' news vans. Raphael and I pushed our way to the front, ducking under the police tape after one of the officers recognized us and waved us through.

My eyes scanned the crowd until I found Stephanie. She sat in the familiar post-explosion pose. That didn't bode well for Raphael's Spider. I shifted my eyes to the right just a little, and winced when I saw the charred remains of two cars. _Shit, this wasn't good!_ Then I heard my brother's sharp intake of air as he too must have noticed where everyone's attention was focused.

"Holy fuck!" he yelled. "My car! Oh, my poor baby!"

Isabella's head jerked up when she heard his voice. Instantly, she was on her feet and racing towards my brother. I watched him catch her mid-flight as Isabella launched herself into his arms.

"Rafe, it was terrible!" She began rapidly explaining to him what happened.

I continued the few short steps to Stephanie, settling myself on the curb next to her. I quickly slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. Stephanie buried her head in my chest.

Pulling back slightly, I used my thumb to tip her head up. I searched her face for any signs of discomfort or injury, then scanned the rest of her body. Other than some scraped skin on her forearms, knees, and hands, she appeared unhurt.

"Why me?" she finally choked out, her voice quivering with emotion.

"Babe."

"I know, I sound like my mom, but honestly, why does stuff always blow up around me?" She straightened her shoulders in a defensive pose. "And this wasn't even my fault!"

"How did it happen?"

Stephanie recounted the entire thing to me, from the moment they'd walked out of the studio. She said she had no idea why the car blew. She just heard the 'whooshing' sound, and shouted for everyone to get down. Stephanie smiled and said Isabella was probably going to have a bruised tailbone, because she all but tackled her to the ground as the car exploded.

"Proud of you, Babe," I whispered, and I had never meant it more than at this moment. Even at risk to herself, she'd protected Isabella and the others surrounding the scene.

Stephanie had an uncanny ability to escape these situations with minimal to little damage. I suppressed the shudder that passed over my soul, and hugged her to me as I thought of how many close calls she'd had since I met her. Especially now that she wore my ring on her finger, the thought of losing her, well, it was too dark to contemplate.

We sat for a good fifteen minutes in silence, watching people mill around the scene. Stephanie toed something at her feet, then she reached down and picked it up just as Raphael and Isabella joined us.

"I'm…so…sorry," Stephanie stuttered out, when she made eye contact with my brother. "You're insured, right?" she asked weakly, and he nodded as she continued. "It wasn't my fault, but I'm still really sorry about your car."

Raphael starred at her for a long moment, then flicked his eyes briefly to mine. I basically delivered a non-verbal message to him that simply said 'if you make her feel bad about this, I'll beat the shit out of you.' He apparently received the threat loud and clear before he turned back to her.

"No, apparently it wasn't your fault. None of it. Isabella explained what happened, then the officer said that the idiot driver that caused the accident lit a cigarette to calm his nerves and threw the match he used into a pool of gasoline that had formed under my car."

I couldn't help myself; it was too perfect. "Smoking will kill you," I said in a deadpan voice.

Raphael smirked. "Glad you're enjoying yourself, little bro. The idiot's lucky he's already been transported to the hospital to have his burns treated, or I'd have probably killed him myself. What a fucking moron."

Two officers came over to take Stephanie's and Isabella's statements. When they were through, I suggested we all go to dinner. We paused briefly as we made our way to the Hummer, and watched the carcass of the Spider being loaded onto a flatbed tow truck.

Stephanie patted Raphael's back in sympathy, then reached into her pocket and withdrew the item she'd picked up earlier.

"Here," she said, placing it in his outstretched palm. "Thanks for letting me borrow your car." Stephanie fought back a laugh by biting on her lower lip.

Raphael looked down at the Porsche shield that once had rested on the hood of his car.

"Ooohhh," Isabella whimpered, and wrapped her arms around Raphael's waist, her eyes filling with tears.

Her tears didn't bother me, but when I saw Raphael swipe the back of his hand to his left eye, I had to fight the urge not to do a 'Burg worthy eyeroll.

"_Coño_," I mumbled under my breath. His gaze flicked up to me, and I shook my head. "Cars are replaceable. People are not. Remember what's truly important here." I slapped him on the back. "I've had to learn that over the past few years."

"Hey!" Stephanie snapped out and popped me in the chest. "I haven't blown up a car in," she paused to search her memory bank for the last car she sent to car heaven. Stephanie blew out an exasperated breath. "Well, it's been a long time!"

"The guys in Trenton don't call her Bombshell just because of her good looks," I teased. I had meant it as nothing more than a loving joke, but I knew I was in trouble when she shot me an unpleasant glare.

Raphael hid his laugh under a cough. "Looks like I'm not the only one that won't be getting any tonight," he whispered.

"Get in the fucking truck," I warned him as I pulled open Stephanie's door.

I stopped Stephanie before she could climb in, by placing my hands on either side of her face. "Babe, I'm not complaining; just teasing you a bit. It takes talent to blow up as many cars as you have and none of them be your fault." Lightly touching my lips to her forehead, I whispered, "All that matters is that you're not hurt. Material things can be replaced." I paused briefly and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "Not much scares me, but the thought of losing you is on the top of the short list."

She nodded her head and didn't comment further on the subject. No one seemed to mind that I drove us to a restaurant outside of Miami. I thought putting distance between us and 'ground zero' would be a good thing. No need for anyone to have relive the event while it broadcasted on the local news stations. I pulled into a small, seaside restaurant about an hour out of downtown.

We were seated at a table outside on their deck. Our orders had been placed, and we were halfway through our first bottle of wine when Isabella spoke to Stephanie.

"Even though it ended on a bad note, I'd like to thank you for inviting me to help you design your dress."

Stephanie reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "I should be thanking you. Your help was invaluable."

"So, it went okay?" I asked.

Isabella smile at me. "The dress is perfect. She's going to be beautiful in it."

I raised our clasped hands to my lips. "That is a given."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. Raphael leaned over to Stephanie. "He's trying to get some yet tonight. Is it working?"

I laughed out loud when she whispered back to him, "He has a better chance than you do of seeing some."

It's not fair to kick a man while he's down, but this was my brother, and I never let an opportunity pass me by, especially when I owed him. Big time.

"Since our meeting was interrupted earlier, I didn't get a chance to tell you about a personal security job we have in Atlantic City this weekend."

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need to tell me about it? That's a job for Trenton."

"No," I insisted. "This is a very important client. I want you and Santos to handle it."

Stephanie choked slightly in mid-shallow, when she finally realized what job I was referring to. I gently patted her back and handed her a napkin. As soon as she got herself under control, she jumped right into the set-up.

"Oh, yeah! I spoke with the client last week. She's got special uniforms made for the two of you. So you blend in, ya know?"

I busted out laughing as I remembered Stephanie mentioning the 'Cougar Patrol' shirts Edna was having made for the guys. Raphael and Santos had no idea what they were getting into, and that put a huge smile on my face.

Raphael looked from Stephanie to me, gauging our expressions. "Why do I feel like there's something you're not telling me?"

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders and failed at schooling her face into the picture of innocence. We were saved from further discussion as the food arrived.

After dinner, we strolled along the boardwalk until we found a piano bar that caught our attention. We listened to a couple of sets before we decided to head back to Miami.

Raphael and Isabella were snuggled together in the backseat as I drove us to the restaurant where Stephanie and Isabella met earlier. Stephanie had fallen asleep by the time I got on the freeway. Between the alcohol and the let down from adrenaline, I'm surprised she'd made it as long as she did. It was nearly midnight when we arrived home.

Friday morning, Raphael flew to Trenton to pick up Santos. I'd managed to keep the 'client's' name a secret all week. Stephanie and I laughed about it at the end of each day. They were supposed to pick the ladies up from a hotel in downtown Trenton. Raphael was convinced it was a big name music star that needed extra help in Atlantic City. Ironically, Lady Gaga was playing in Trenton on Thursday night, and I did nothing to correct his assumption when he said he knew he was right all along. Well, I knew Lady Edna wasn't going to disappoint.

Stephanie came into my office at noon. Her face held a huge smile. "Has he called yet?"

"Nope. Any minute now." Not thirty seconds later, the phone on my desk rang. I put it on speaker.

"Yo," I said in a serious voice that hid the laugh I was desperately fighting back.

"You fucking set me up!" Raphael roared.

Santos gave an unmanly-like shriek. "It's Edna!"

Stephanie was laughing so hard, she was wiping tears from her eyes. She flopped onto the couch and doubled over with laughter.

"Oh fuck, Rafe. She's brought friends, too!" Santos groaned. "Ranger, man, please, don't do this to us!" he begged.

"Suck it up, you whiners. You're at their beck and call for the next seventy-two hours. If I hear any complaints from you or them, I'll call Valerie and cancel Edna's plans to spend the rest of the week with her. You'll be on this job for seven days straight. Got it?"

There was dead silence on the other end.

I repeated, "Got it?"

They each reluctantly agreed. "Good. One more thing. I _always _get even; you might want to remember that in the future." Just as I was reaching to push the disconnect button, I heard Edna's voice purr, "Hey, you stud, we've got a shirt for you." I hesitate as Raphael gave a surprised yelp._Got__ to watch her hands, __bro._Then he groaned. "Cougar Patrol? Are you fucking kidding me? Holy shit! Edna, keep your hands to yourself!"

"Where's the fun in that? You've got quite a package there, stud. Must run in your family." Edna's observation and referral to my 'package' had me disconnecting the call instantly. I didn't need to hear anymore on that subject!

Stephanie and I laughed for a good fifteen minutes after the call ended. Edna had promised to keep Stephanie informed of the weekend's events. We already knew that their first stop was to a viewing. Edna had told Stephanie that it was a closed casket, and she just had to know what outfit they were burying Mrs. Kalinowski in.

Later that night, as I held a sated and sleeping Stephanie in my arms, I searched for some remorse for my brother and Santos. God only knew what Edna and her friends were doing to them right now. As I drifted off to sleep, I smiled; I was guilt free, and didn't feel any remorse at all.

At three a.m., my cell phone rang. I answered it with an annoyed, "Yo!"

Music screamed through the other end, and ladies voices raised and chanting, "Take it off. Take it off," filled my ear. Then Raphael's voice came through the line. "They've got Santos stripping, again, the poor bastard. This is the third time now! I've lost count of how many times she and her friends have grabbed my dick or my ass! What the hell did I do to deserve this?"

"One word for you. Remote." I shut the phone with a satisfied snap. _Paybacks were a bitch!_

**SPOV**

Carlos and I had a serious discussion about Valentine's Day. It was our first together, and while we wanted it to be special, we didn't want it to be all about expensive gifts. Well, that was more my idea than his, but he agreed.

I'd only gotten him to go along with my plan by letting him have free reign over our honeymoon and his wedding gift to me. Since that was a one time thing, I decided I'd let it slide.

I set a fifty dollar limit on our gifts to one another. He'd protested, saying that was too little, but after asking some very pointed and specific questions, we'd finally reached an agreement. The total included one meal, and did not include transportation costs. _Whatever._ It's hard to argue long with Batman. He's all sexy and adorable when he's strategizing.

I had the morning half of Valentine's Day, until noon, to plan. Ugh, not my favorite part of the day, but again, I'd been up against a master of persuasion! Ranger was planning the afternoon. The evening we'd share, which basically meant we'd spend the rest of the time having sex, and I was fine with that!

The night before Valentine's Day, I set the coffee pot to brew at 6:15. _Yuck! _But hey, I'd still get more sleep than the usual 5:30 that he normally hauled my ass out of bed to go running! Of course, I didn't tell him my plans, so I'm sure he assumed we'd be sleeping in.

When the bedside alarm blared persistently at six, I seriously considered how much I loved the smiling man that reached across me to shut the annoying thing off! _Damn, it must be love, since I was freely getting up this early to please him!_

"Happy Valentine's Day, Babe," he whispered and placed a soft kiss to my lips as he hovered over me.

I could feel his rock hard cock pressing against my leg and moaned. _Stick to the plan, Stephanie!_ I shifted away from him and quickly sat up on the edge of the bed.

Carlos crawled up behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and settled his head on my shoulder. I felt his lips skim along the column of my neck. _Focus! You have a plan!_ His warm breath tickled as he spoke softly, "We've only been awake a couple of minutes, and you've already surprised me."

"Huh?" So it wasn't the most intelligent statement. Sue me. It was early, and my Cuban Sex God was literally breathing down my neck!

"It's 6:00, not 10:00. I didn't figure we'd start the morning off this early."

"Are you complaining?"

"Hell, no. What's up first?"

I couldn't resist. I turned and pointedly looked down at his erection. _Bad move, Stephanie!_ I could feel the drool pooling at the corners of my mouth.

"Poor choice of words," Carlos laughed. "Besides, that's my common condition around you; it shouldn't be a surprise to you. It's never been a secret."

"Yeah, it's not easy to hide all that!" I teased.

He gave me the full thousand watt smile. "Thanks, Babe."

"Umm, let's get dressed. Like right now! Before I change my mind." While Batman had a nearly endless supply of willpower, I did not. We needed to get out of this bedroom, and fast!

Carlos went into the bathroom first, and I grabbed our running clothes. I carried them into the bathroom and received a raised eyebrow when I handed Carlos' to him.

"I chose things you like to do as part of my gift. Get dressed. I'm going downstairs. I'll meet you on the balcony in a few minutes."

Before I could leave the room, he pulled me to a stop and turned me around to face him. He tilted my head up with his thumb, and lowered his mouth to mine. Carlos' tongue traced the outline of my lips until I parted them and granted him full access. Kissing Carlos was a mind-numbing experience; by the time he stepped back, I could barely remember to breathe. It had always been like that. "Love you," he said softly, and patted my ass when I turned to leave again.

I assembled a tray to carry upstairs, which included small glasses of orange juice and two mugs of coffee. I added a couple of slices of cranberry-nut bread Michelle had made earlier in the week to a plate, and went to meet my fiancé.

"Sunrise is at 6:54," I stated as I set the tray on the table next to the lounger we always shared.

We enjoyed watching the beautiful colors explode across the sky as the sun greeted the day. When it was climbing higher, I rubbed gently up and down Carlos' arms.

"Time to run," I said with way more enthusiasm than I felt at the moment.

"We don't have to, Babe. We can take the day off."

"Don't tempt me," I warned.

"Well, let's make it a short one then, okay? I don't want you tired the rest of the day."

As we started down the stairs, I looked up at him. "I was sort of hoping for a nap, somewhere along the line."

Carlos gave me a smile. "We'll see, Babe."

After a leisurely, for him, three mile run, we returned to the house, and on the deck, I stopped. His eyebrow shot up in question.

"This is where you get naked," I informed him.

The eyebrow went higher, and the corners of his mouth tipped up slightly. "Right here?"

"Yep. Right here."

"No problem, Babe."

He stripped off his shirt and tossed it on a nearby chair, then sat down and untied his shoes. He stood back up, hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his shorts, and dropped them to the floor. I momentarily forgot what I was supposed to be doing. I'd never get tired of seeing this man naked.

_Massage table!_ The message finally penetrated my lust-filled mind, and I sprung into action. I drug the table from behind the wall where I'd hidden it.

"Face down first," I told him as I held up the top sheet.

When he was settled on the table, I grabbed the lotion I'd placed in the warmer earlier. As I liberally coated his back and began to kneed, I explained this gift.

"Originally, I was going to get us a couples massage, but it exceeded the spending limit. Then when I thought about it, I couldn't stand the thought of another woman touching you."

Carlos raised his head slightly from the table and looked at me. "Are you jealous?"

"Yes!" No need to deny it.

He laughed softly. "Good to know. For the record, I don't want any woman's hands on me but yours." Carlos lay his head back down, and I felt him relax.

"Anyway, I had to come up with something else. So I rented this table, and went to the library to get a book on sensual massage."

"I'm impressed."

I worked on a knot at his left shoulder blade until was gone. It was hard to tell who was enjoying this more, me or him. The feel of his strong, sculpted body under my fingers had my pulse racing and dampness ruining my panties. Carlos' breathing was slow and shallow; he'd relaxed so completely, I wondered if he was still awake.

"I'm not sleeping, Babe."

"Damn ESP," I muttered under my breath.

After I'd massaged every luscious inch of his body, some spots more than others, I led him up to the bathroom, where I showed him how good _I_ was in the shower.

It was nearly 11:00 by the time we were dressed and ready for my last surprise of the day. I was taking him to one of his guilty pleasures. No, it wasn't the local sex toy store! It was Las Olas Café, serving an authentic Cuban cuisine.

It was his guilty pleasure because a Cuban breakfast is as far as you can get from the usual healthy fare Carlos eats daily. When you walk into a Cuban restaurant, especially at breakfast time, you'd better check your diet at the door! The traditional meal consisted of toasted bread swimming in butter, a café con leche that is loaded with sugar and cream, and last but certainly not least, assorted pastries.

The first time Carlos had taken me to the café, I'd spent most of the meal gaping at him, wondering what had happened to my fruit-hugging, sugar-refusing fiancé. He'd admitted during the meal that he loved to go there for breakfast, and wouldn't let himself indulge very often. It made it the perfect place for me to take him today.

As I slid to the Lamborghini to a stop at the curb, he shook his head. "You never disappoint, Babe."

It was straight up noon when we exited the café. The espresso had kicked in, and I was ready to take on just about anything.

"What do you have planned?" I asked eagerly, holding on to his arm with both hands.

"That's a surprise," he said with a smile as I rolled my eyes. He liked surprising me way too much, but then, I'd always enjoyed whatever he'd done so far. I was sure today's adventure would be the same.

Carlos opened the passenger side car door for me. "We have to go back to the house to get started."

I buckled up and waited, not too patiently, for his part of today's plan to begin.

**RPOV**

When we arrived home, I offered my hand to Stephanie as she got out of the car. We walked to the back of the garage, and I threw the cover off my 2010 Harley Street Glide.

Stephanie gasped in surprise. "You ride?"

"Yeah, Babe."

She looked around this area of the garage. "I've never explored back here." She walked over to the other covered motorcycles. Stephanie peeked under the first cover. "A vintage Moto Guzzi. Nice." Then she lifted the next one, and her face creased into a knowing smile. "The Ducati I rode in Trenton. I wondered where that bike had gone to."

"When you went back to Morelli..." I paused as the unpleasant memory came forward. Even though she was mine now, the pain of watching her with him all those times still stung a little.

"Again..." she supplied with a hint of disgust and a roll of her eyes. "What the hell was I thinking?" Stephanie asked the question in a rhetorical fashion, but it was one I'd pondered often in the past.

I hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. "All that matters is that you're here now."

The loving smile on her face as she looked up at me made all the pain I'd suffered before fade even more. "There's no place I'd rather be then with you." She rose up on her toes and softly brought her lips to mine.

We spent several minutes locked in a passionate embrace, both us realizing again how close we'd come to never having this chance… our someday, just like I'd hinted at the first time she'd straddled the Ducati.

Her hands tried to smooth out the wrinkles she'd made in the front of my shirt as she'd lost herself in the heat of the moment. _Like I cared about them._ I rubbed her back, and she rested her head against my shoulder while we caught our breaths.

"Anyway, I couldn't stand seeing the bike parked in the Trenton garage, and I didn't want to get rid of it, so I took a few days and rode it down here."

"Hmm. Maybe now that I know it's here, I'll ride it occasionally. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Babe. What's mine is yours. Besides, that bike was always meant for you. We can take it today, if you'd rather. I thought the Harley would be more comfortable."

"No. This is your plan, and I've only been on a Harley a couple of times. They weren't nearly as nice as this one." She ran her hand over the sleek lines of the bike. It _was_ a beautiful machine.

"If you're ready, we should get going."

"Let me run to the bathroom first."

"Can you grab our bag in the hallway? I'll pull the bike outside."

I had the engine idling in that unique Harley cadence when she came out the front door, carrying the backpack I'd gotten ready last night.

"What's in here?" she asked with her voice raised to overcome the noise of the bike.

"Our stuff for the next couple of days," I told her, and watched as her eyebrows shot up.

"Seriously? This doesn't seem heavy enough to have everything _I_ need to stay _one_ day, yet alone for the both of us for more than that!"

"No worries; we have it all, and we needed to travel light."

She shifted her weight to one foot and placed her hand on the hip. "We're going to be naked a lot, aren't we?"

I couldn't help but smile. "You can count on it, Babe," I promised as I handed her a helmet.

Stephanie opened the saddlebag on the back of the bike and dropped the backpack inside, before she swung her leg over and settled on behind me. Stephanie wrapped her arms around my waist. I revved the engine twice, and we roared away from the house.

I wove the bike through downtown Miami, enjoying the feeling of having Stephanie's body huddled behind me and the wind in my face. It had been several months since I'd taken one of the bikes out. Way too long. I'd forgotten how much I truly loved riding. Since Stephanie liked to go too, I saw long road trips ahead in our future.

We traveled on Highway 1 for nearly three hours, arriving in Key West around 1600. I drove her past Hemingway's house and down the main streets of the city, pointing out the local sights. We stopped at a small deli for a quick lunch, before I headed us back north on Highway 1.

"Batman, we just came from this way. What are we doing?"

"We're going to see an old friend of mine. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."

The roar of the Harley made conversation difficult, so Stephanie fell silent. I signaled a right hand turn, then pulled into Paul's inlet road. He came around the corner of his house just as I threw the kickstand on the bike and killed the engine. I grabbed Stephanie's hand, closing the short distance between us and Paul.

"Babe, this is Paul Lauko. Paul, my fiancée, Stephanie Plum."

They shook hands, and Paul's face creased into a big smile. "I never thought I'd see the day that Manoso would settle down."

Stephanie laughed. "Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself, and I'm the one marrying him!"

"Babe," I teased as I toyed with the engagement ring on her finger. Just like twisting one of her curls around my finger, playing with the ring brought me a sense of peace. Life was damn near perfect.

"I've got everything ready," Paul's voice interrupted my mental wanderings. "All the supplies you requested are loaded, and the plane's good to go."

"Plane? Don't you have one of those at home?"

"Not like this one," I said as we all walked around to the back of Paul's house.

There, tied to the dock and ready to go, was a sea plane. Stephanie gasped in surprise. "I've always thought these things were so cool!"

"They are," I agreed.

We visited for a short time before Paul wished us a good trip and a safe flight. I told him to take the Harley out, if he wanted. He laughed, said he would, and waved good-bye as I helped Stephanie into the plane. After we were buckled in, I signaled him to untie us from the dock.

I took a couple minutes to reacquaint myself with the control panel, before starting the engines. When I was satisfied with the readings on all the gauges, I idled us out into the open water.

"This is really neat and all, but why didn't we just take one of your planes?"

"Because where we're going, there isn't anyplace for us to land."

"And where would that be exactly?"

"Off the south eastern coast of Cuba," I answered.

"Is it safe?"

"Babe, do you think I'd take you somewhere that wasn't?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "No, sorry, that was a silly question."

Gently, I patted her knee. "It's okay. Just enjoy the trip."

I taxied the plane along the takeoff path, checking for approaching boats in the distance or other obstacles that might get in our way. When I saw that we were clear, I increased the power to the engines. Stephanie watched out her window as we raced across the water, then lifted off.

We flew a short distance above the water; just enough to see all the varying colors of the ocean. Our destination came into view. I circled the area twice, reducing our speed with each rotation. We landed smoothly about a mile out, and I taxied us the rest of the way. The plane beached easily. I shut down the engines, then turned towards Stephanie.

"Now are you going to tell me where we are?"

"I can give you the longitude and latitude locations, but this place doesn't have a name."

"Okay, this is confusing. Does anyone live here?"

"No, it's an uninhabited island that I own."

"You bought a freakin' island? That exceeds the spending limit, buster!"

I laughed out loud. "Babe, I've owned it for nearly ten years. I stayed within the limit of our deal."

We left the plane and strolled the beach for a while.

"What ever possessed you to buy an island?" she asked as she bent and picked up a shell, examining it closely before tossing it back into the water.

"Actually, this place was gifted to me after I rescued a wealthy businessman's daughter from a sex slave operation."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, and it has come in handy when I needed a place to disappear for a while."

"You've stayed here? Like overnight?"

"Sure. We're staying for two days."

Stephanie stopped, turned, and looked all around. "I don't see any power poles or bathrooms, and where's the house?"

The hint of panic in her voice had me fighting back a smile. This was going to be the sticky part for her. "There isn't any of those things here… yet."

The puzzled look on her face was priceless.

"We have everything we need in the plane."

"And where are we sleeping?"

"Wherever we decide to place the tent."

"The tent? We're camping?" she squeaked.

_Time for damage control_. I dropped to the sand and tugged on her hand so that she landed in my lap. "Babe, keep an open mind, okay?" She nodded her head as I continued, "I bought you here for a couple reasons. One, it seemed like a romantic way to spend Valentine's Day all alone on a deserted island. Second, I'd like to build a house here and have this as a getaway for us."

"That does sound nice, when you put it like that."

"I thought we could spend some time walking around and deciding where we'd like to build. I bought some different house plans along. They're in the plane. If we can make a decision while we're here, the house could be ready by our first anniversary."

"It would have electricity, running water, and all those great things, right?"

"Of course, Babe. They'll just have to be solar or wind powered."

"Whew, that's a relief."

"Do you want to walk around the island now, or set up camp?"

"Let's walk around. I'm excited about seeing the whole island."

We explored for nearly an hour, and only saw about half the island. We decided to save the rest for tomorrow. We needed to set the tent up and have dinner before it got too dark.

Dinner was a simple meal that didn't need to be cooked. I opened containers to show Stephanie finger foods that I insisted we feed each other. The wine Paul had packed for us was an excellent year, and the chocolate covered strawberries were a big hit with Stephanie. She said they remind her of us. _Of course she'd find a similarity between our relationship and food!_ Her rationalization basically was that she was the chocolate and I was the strawberry. Together, they were a perfect combination. Put like that, it was hard to argue the point.

Afterwards, I started a fire for us to enjoy and to provide some light. Stephanie sat between my legs, her head resting on my shoulder while we watched the flames dance.

I lightly kissed her neck. She tipped her head back further, allowing me better access. My hands found their way under her shirt. I stripped it off her body and tossed it into the tent. Her bra followed three seconds later. Cupping her breasts in my palms, my fingers reached out to circle her nipples, teasing them into tight nubs. She moaned and arched her back. I fell backwards onto the blanket I'd spread before we'd sat down. Stephanie followed my body back, and twisted until we lay chest to chest.

My shirt had been shed during our walk earlier. I couldn't get her to loosen her inhabitations enough to walk around topless, even though logically she knew no one would see her but me. _That became my personal challenge. _I'd talk her into it before we left, and if talking didn't work, I'd make a deal. Next trip, I'd work on getting her to walk around completely naked. _It was good to have goals._

Stephanie's teeth biting at my nipple snapped me back to the here and now. Shit, I was painfully hard. She gripped my cock and stroked down the length. Her body slid down mine. Stephanie's soft lips settled on the head of my cock. She spent long, languorous minutes sucking lightly on just the tip.

All I wanted to do was bury myself in the warm heat of her mouth, or better yet, her pussy. I couldn't wait much longer. I lifted my hips up slightly, urging her to take more of me into her mouth.

She giggled, and the vibration of it had my cock pulsing. Without warning, Stephanie sucked down my length. I threw my head back and moaned, loudly. _She was driving me insane!_ She relentlessly worked me until I couldn't take it anymore.

Reaching out, I grabbed her arms, hauling her up my body. I seized her lips when they were within range. The need to claim her filled every corner of my mind, but before I could act on it, Stephanie spread her legs wide over my body and slammed herself down on my cock.

I yelled out in pleasure. "Fuck, Babe!"

"I plan on it, Batman. All night long," she purred as she sucked my earlobe into her mouth. Stephanie whispered her promise softly, "This is going to be a Valentine's Day neither of us will ever forget!"

**TBC**

Author's note: Well, by my calculations, there are only two (maybe three) chapters left in this story. *sniff, sniff* _This has been one hell of a ride! LOL!_ As I end a story, I always re-evaluated my writing ability and consider the time and effort it takes to produce another one.

It is a tremendous commitment to do this and the only thing an author receives is your reviews and/or private messages. Please be kind, review here and all the many talented authors on this site! We all appreciate your effort! Thank you! ~Angie


	31. Rescuing Batman

**Best Wishes**

By:amkp

Chapter 31-Rescuing Batman

Disclaimer: I don't owe anything you recognize as hers or any of the places I mention in this chapter. They belong to others and I ain't makin' a dang dime! What a shame.

Author's notes: Thanks to the 'real life' Isabella for her help and support with these last few chapters! She's a great friend!

Also, to Cara, who listens to all my worries and celebrates my happy times with me! Thanks, Babe!

The ideas for the Bachelorette/Bachelor parties were based on a combination of ideas from my plot players. I used at least part of each of these ladies suggestions! Thanks, y'all!: SapphireJ, sirusyellowlab, rangerslee, CB60, foreverbabe and Barb4psu.

Again this week the plot-players were split down the middle with their thoughts. That always puts a smile on my face, because each person has very specific ideas on why they feel the way they do! Thanks so much for playing along!

Here's my shout out to each one of these special people: rangergirl1234, Dikent, SapphireJ, babe4ever52, Hunter on Maui, ty93, janetfan150, ., Ryl, Barb4psu, AmandaBabe, Milenab, forever babe, rangerslee and hapshepsutalc.

Please keep in mind that this is fiction and allow me some creative license and to have a little fun without thinking of money. Lord knows that never happens in real life! LOL. I sort of interpreted things in my own manner in some parts of this chapter. The places I mention actually exist,all except _Sweet Peaks,_ I looked them up! And the suite that Ranger stays in rents for $40,000 a night! Can you imagine? LOL.

This story is my creation, but it is gone over each week by the magic powers of SuperBeta Jenny, (aka JenRar)! Love ya, Babe! Thanks for everything!

**SPOV**

As often happens to future brides, the months before the wedding flew by.

Carlos had asked Tank to be his best man. Raphael had stood with him when Carlos married Rachel, and he didn't feel right about asking him again to be the best man. Carlos did ask him to be a groomsman, and Raphael had agreed. We paired him with Julie.

I had the same problem with asking Mary Lou; she had been my maid of honor when I married Dickie. During one of our few phone conversations, she told me it wouldn't be right for her to be the matron of honor this time.

Lula had been my longest standing friend since Mary Lou, but honestly, since I'd moved to Miami, we rarely talked. She had a new boyfriend, and had actually quit her job at the bonds office. She was now a hairdresser at a small shop in downtown Trenton. It was a good fit for her, and she was happy.

My friendship with Isabella had grown stronger. We continued to have lunch faithfully every Tuesday, and most Sunday evenings were spent at either our house or Raphael's.

She had been instrumental in helping me with the wedding details, and had gone with me to every one of my dress fittings. I felt a connection with Isabella that I'd never felt with another girlfriend.

Mary Lou had known me forever, but our lives had taken different directions after high school. While we still enjoyed getting together or talking on the phone, the closeness that we'd once shared wasn't as strong anymore.

So during my final dress fitting, I'd asked Marco to take Isabella's measurements. She'd turned to me with confusion lining her face.

"Why do I need to be measured?"

"Because I'd like you to be my maid of honor," I answered, happy with the choice I'd made.

Tears swam in her eyes, and a huge smile stretched across her face. "I'd love to!" she exclaimed as she hugged me.

Marco's assistant took the measurements of Isabella's slim body. The design we'd chosen would look great on both her and Julie.

Isabella stopped at the receptionist's desk on her way out and extracted her checkbook, inquiring about the down payment for her dress.

"Ma'am, there's no balance due," the receptionist told her with a smile.

When she turned to look at me, I told her, "Carlos and I took care of it as a thank you for all the help you've given us with the wedding."

"You didn't have to do that," she said softly, almost sounding as if she were scolding me.

"Too bad, it's already done."

We argued about it all the way back to RangeMan. In the end, Isabella graciously accepted when I won. She waved good-bye as she went to Raphael's office, and they left promptly. Raphael's band had a gig tonight, and Isabella was going with him.

Knocking softly on Carlos' door, I slowly opened it and peeked my head around. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, Babe, I've been waiting for you. I don't want to waste a minute of tonight."

"Me, either," I agreed. Tomorrow started the thirty day deal, which was still an insanely stupid idea! I was determined to break Carlos' resolve to honor it. It had become my personal mission.

I made it four days before I cashed in my first 'get off' card. Carlos had laughed when I caved, telling me I'd better spend them wisely, since there were still twenty-six days left.

But when I screamed his name and clawed at his back as the orgasm claimed me, he decided to cash one of his in as well. We were even.

Another five days went by with a lot of close calls. As he stripped out of his clothes after our early morning run, I snapped and cashed in my second card. He resisted the urge to use his, even though I kissed up and down his thighs and blew lightly on his straining cock.

He'd bolted out of our bed like he'd been launched from a cannon. I laughed all the way to the bathroom, and screeched when I stepped into the frigid water of the shower.

Carlos gave me a big smile before turning the regulator to a warmer temperature. "You get used to them after a while," he commented casually. "I've taken my fair share of them since I met you."

I rolled my eyes at him, which elicited a laugh.

I spent the next few days tempting Batman into using his second card. I tried everything from suggestive comments to walking around naked unexpectedly through the house. It was hard to miss the effect I had on him, but he'd just smile and refuse to take the bait.

Then I made a discovery early one morning. I found that's when he was most vulnerable. He was spooned behind me in our typical sleeping position, and his morning hard-on was pulsing against my ass. I squirmed, in an effort to get more comfortable, _of course_, and when I did, he sucked in a breath. Thrilled at the reaction, I repeated the motion again and again until he gave in.

"Babe, that's just mean. Fine. I'm using my second card now. I can't take it anymore."

The score was even again, until later that night. We'd snuggled up on the couch to watch a movie. Well, mainly _I _was watching the movie. Carlos had some reports to read, so he was dividing his time between the movie and his paperwork. My head rested in his lap. When the movie took a romantic turn into the bedroom, I knew I was in big trouble!

As Antonio Banderas began to undress his lover, I envisioned Carlos doing the same to me. The sultry looks he gave her reminded me of the expression on Carlos' face as his body slid into mine. And when they fell onto the bed and appeared to be making love, I knew I was about to use my last card. My panties were soaked, and I was in desperate need of a Carlos-induced orgasm.

Carlos must have noticed my distress, because he leaned forward and placed his paperwork on the table in front of the couch before stroking my hair in a loving gesture. "Babe, you're moaning," he informed me. "Is something wrong?"

My eyes met his, and from the hint of mischief I saw there, I knew he was fully aware of the extent of my problem. I growled out in frustration, "You know _exactly_ what's going on!"

His fingers journeyed down my front to lightly graze my center. "You're wet, Babe."

_Like I needed him to point that out for me!_

"Would you like me to _take_ _care_ of you? It'll mean using your last card, and you'll have three weeks to wait."

Mentally, I did the math. Next week my period came to visit. Normally, that was a definite turn off in the sexual department, but since Carlos has shown me how enjoyable sex was during that time, I didn't know if abstaining was going to be as easy as it had been in previous relationships. Surely though, I could make it during that time of the month, right?

It seemed incomprehensible that I'd be living with Batman and have to resort to my previous stress reliever, the shower massager.

"Oh no, Stephanie, that's not an option."

"What?"

"The shower massager. No self service during this deal."

_Damn ESP!_

I made a plan to drastically increase my sugar intake, and prayed my dress would fit by the time the wedding got here. "I'm using my last card," I said firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep, I need this _now_!"

Carlos wasted no time springing into action. As my orgasm arrived a few moments later, I made a plan to break down Batman's defenses.

This stupid deal wasn't going to last. One way or the other, I'd bring him around to my way of thinking. There was no way I was doing without him for three agonizingly long weeks!

"I won't give in, Babe," he threatened.

"We'll see," I teased confidently. He was seriously underestimating my motivation.

The next two weeks became a battle of wills. His against mine. Carlos seemed to enjoy the challenge, while I became more frustrated at each foiled attempt.

_Nothing!_ Absolutely nothing worked! I tried everything, from begging, to promising sexual favors, to running extra miles with him, and he wasn't having any of it! Oh, he'd been tempted and close to caving on more than one occasion, but he'd always reigned the urge in at the last moment. _Damnable self control!_

On Friday morning at 4:00, eight days prior to our wedding, Carlos claimed his last card. He was confident that he'd last until our wedding night now, and said he'd saved this one until today because he wanted this to be the last thing we did before he left for his bachelor party weekend in Vegas. He planned to carry the memory with him for the next couple of days.

It was the first time we'd been separated this long since our engagement. That seemed unbelievable to me, and spoke of how much we truly enjoyed each other's company.

If I didn't respect his formidable willpower, I'd have been pissed. As it was, I was all too happy to grant his last card. I received nearly as much pleasure from watching him come as I did from coming myself.

I wrapped my hand around his cock and brought the tip to my mouth. I sucked lightly on the velvety head. He moaned, then buried one of his hands in my curls.

Carlos held my hair out of the way so he could watch as I slid nearly the entire length of him into my mouth. _God, he felt incredible__._ I hummed in happiness, which caused him to tighten his hold on my hair. I knew how much the vibration of my humming affected him; there was something else that was sure to drive him over the edge. Moistening the tip of middle finger, I ran my hand down to his puckered hole.

"Fuck!" he groaned softly.

His exclamation brought a smile to my face. I'd come a long way in my thoughts on anal sex. Carlos clearly enjoyed being stimulated there, and I'd actually encouraged him to use his finger on me more than once.

The pressure of his finger down there increased the power of my orgasm. We hadn't ventured beyond fingers yet, but I was open to 'broadening my horizons' in that area. If he didn't pack the black box in his suitcase for our honeymoon, I would. I was ready for more!

It only took a few strokes with my fingers to bring him to completion. I swallowed rapidly as he came in my mouth. With long licks from the base to the tip of his cock, I captured every bit of his unique taste.

"Babe," he breathed softly, reverently.

I kissed up his stomach, to his chest, stopping briefly to nip at his nipples before finally settling my lips on his.

Our tongues tangled together. His hands held my face tenderly, and tilted my head to change position, deepening our kiss. We spent several long minutes lost in each other. When we separated, he got up to go shower. The guys were picking him up at 5:00. He had twenty minutes.

Running downstairs, I quickly threw together a light breakfast for him and started the coffee. By the time he came downstairs, everything was ready. I handed him a travel mug and set the plate with yogurt, fruit, and a bagel in front of him.

"Thanks, Babe. You didn't have to do this."

"I don't mind. Besides, I get to spend a few extra minutes with you this way."

The doorbell rang, and I walked with him to the door. The guys were surprised to see me up this early. They teased me for a few minutes before they all piled into the Suburban. Carlos gave me one last kiss and promised to call later.

Isabella came by the house around nine, and we drove one of the RangeMan SUVs to the airport to pick up Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, and Valerie.

Even though Valerie and Mary Lou had decided to come, they had to leave on Saturday afternoon. There was a big church fundraiser on Sunday that they were both helping with, plus their husbands didn't want to handle the kids for more than two nights.

I was fine with it, and Isabella had planned for us to do something together Saturday night after they left so I wouldn't be alone while Carlos was away.

Lula was the first to emerge from the plane. "White Girl! This is livin'! I've never been on no private plane before. It was freakin' awesome!"

I hugged each of the girls, and introduced them to Isabella. We all agreed that flying private sure beat commercial. Carlos had spoiled me already.

We drove back to the house, and I gave them a tour of the 'Batcave.' They ooh'd and ahh'd through the entire house.

Connie was the first to spot the picture that I'd given Carlos for Christmas in our bedroom. "Jesus H. Christ, Steph! This is _hot_!"

A blush spread across my cheeks. I'd gotten so used to the picture being in our room, that it startled me when I studied it from their perspective. It was an incredibly erotic shot of us.

Lula fanned herself. "Hot damn, girl, you are one lucky woman! I wish I had something like that wrapped around me every night. My Jethro is fine, but he ain't no Ranger."

I ushered the girls quickly out of our bedroom before they started asking for details of what exactly went on in this room.

Isabella took us to my favorite seafood restaurant for lunch, then we returned to the house to lay out by the pool and walk along the beach.

Mary Lou and Valerie both commented on how good it felt to relax in peace; there were no kids or husbands demanding their attention. I was happy that they were enjoying themselves.

At six, Isabella told us to get ready to party. The girls took the downstairs rooms and bathrooms, while Isabella and I shared the upstairs. We met in the kitchen at seven.

We were a fine looking bunch. Lula wore a respectable, yet tight fitting, green spandex dress with matching heels. Mary Lou and Valerie had chosen the classic black cocktail dress, and Connie wore a flaming red pant suit. Isabella's floral halter dress looked fabulous on her. I'd picked one of my favorite blue dresses, the one that Carlos always enjoyed. It was strapless, and fell just above my knee. I complete the outfit with some kickin' FMPs.

I was surprised when Isabella drove us to Raphael's house.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, not attempting to hide my puzzlement.

"You'll see," she responded, leading us all to the door.

When we entered the house, we were greeted by several people: two truly awe-inspiring, shirtless men carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres and glasses of champagne, and two attractive women dressed in all black.

Isabella introduced everyone. Candy was a sales woman for adult toys. She'd brought an entire selection of things for us to see and experiment with. I had to laugh... If Carlos could only see this! By the end of her presentation, I already knew which things I wanted to add to our black box.

Then Miranda led us all into Raphael's entertainment room and straight to the stripper pole. _Oh my God!_ Isabella had hired her to teach us how to work the pole. Miranda went through a complicate routine that I'd never be flexible enough to complete.

We'd all laughed our asses off as each of us took a turn twirling on the pole. Miranda worked extra long with me, and everyone helped choreograph a routine for me. After four attempts, I successfully got through it all without stopping or falling on the floor.

They all cheered and said they wished they could see Carlos' face when he saw me in action, then they presented me with a pole to put in our bedroom. I turned nearly as red as Connie's outfit.

It was close to eleven when we left Raphael's to go bar hopping. By the time we returned to our house, I'd been embarrassed in every way possible, and had drunk entirely too many free drinks. On a positive note, I fell into bed so exhausted, I didn't have time to miss not having Carlos in bed with me.

The girls treated me to 'the cure' on our way to the day spa. We spent several hours there being pampered. I felt great as we exited the spa and went for lunch. We were heading back to the house to pick up the girls' luggage when Mary Lou spoke up.

"Oh dang! I forgot the papers that Miranda gave me for my routine at Raphael's house."

Connie said that she'd forgotten hers as well. It was no wonder; she'd been hanging all over the blond waiter most of the night.

I volunteered to run inside and get the papers when we arrived at Raphael's. I located the papers quickly in the entertainment room, and went to Raphael's office to get an envelope to place each set in, to prevent anyone from seeing what they were.

Raphael's desk held only his computer, a legal pad, and some pens. I opened the left side drawer, looking for an envelope, and not only located those, but also found a file folder that read, 'Carlos' last weekend of freedom.'

_Well, well, well!_ I smiled with glee as I opened the folder. On top was an itinerary of their weekend. Flipping through the photocopied brochures of their planned activities, I knew Carlos was having a great time. The open-wheeled racing looked right up his alley. The guys had really planned a wonderful weekend for him. I traced my finger down until I found today's activity. _Of course, a strip club crawl!_ Carlos had expected and even dreaded that.

I continued to read until Isabella walked into the room, momentarily startling me.

"Hey, Steph, did you find the papers? The girls are ready to leave."

"Yep, and look what else I found!" I held up the folder.

"What?"

"The itinerary for Carlos' weekend."

"Oohh, let me see it!"

Isabella came across the room to stand behind my chair so she could read it over my shoulder.

"Wow, looks like fun."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, right up until I got to tonight's activities. They're going on a strip club crawl."

"Really? What are the name of the places?"

"Let's see, there's a VIP Skybox at a club called _Badda Bing!, _then a place called," I stopped to laugh, "_Rick's Las Vegas_. I don't know if you knew this or not, but Carlos' first name is Ricardo."

Isabella shared my smile. "Yeah, I think Raphael mentioned that once."

"He rarely uses the name, and introduces himself as Carlos or Ranger. Okay, then they finish the night at a place called _Sweet Peaks__._"

"Oh my God, that's Niko's place! Please tell me they haven't ordered him a 'bed dance'."

"Uhh, yeah, right here. VIP room, bed dance. Holy Shit! They paid a thousand dollars for it!"

The expression on Isabella's face had my stomach doing an uncomfortable flip.

"What exactly _is_ a bed dance?"

She chewed her lip in a nervous fashion. "I don't think I should tell you."

"You'd better spill, girlfriend. I can only imagine the worst here."

"Well, the worst is probably dead on," she said with hesitation.

"Like what?"

"Stephanie, I don't want to upset you, and I'm sure Carlos would _never_ cheat on you."

"_Isabella!_ Tell. Me. Now!"

She scrunched up her face. "See, Niko's had some problems with illegal prostitution."

"He's selling girls into prostitution? Oh my God!"

"No, more like he's taking a cut of their profits and turning a 'blind eye' on their 'extra-curricular' activities. Believe it or not, most strip clubs protect and discourage their entertainers from having sex with the patrons."

"What would a grand 'buy' him? I don't have any idea about this sort of thing."

"The only reason I know about it is because Juan told me, but I'd say for that kind of money, _anything_ would go, and it could mean more than one girl."

The thought of _one_ woman alone in a sexual way with Carlos was enough to make my blood boil. Add another one, and I was ready to kick some ass!

But wait... This is Batman we're talking about. He wouldn't let himself get into a situation like that. _You have to trust him._ I gave myself the mental pep talk.

Then I remembered that all the guys were along, and there was alcohol involved. _Wait a minute!_ Why the heck were the guys doing this to me, to us? I needed to kick more than some stripper's ass. I felt like taking on a Merry Man or two, maybe with a side of Raphael. _Just wait until I get my hands on them!_

Most importantly, I needed to rescue my fiancé. _How weird is that?_ Me, Stephanie Plum, soon to be Manoso, rescuing Batman!

"Uh oh, I don't like the look on your face, Steph."

I gave her a blinding smile. "Feel like taking a trip to Las Vegas?"

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh, but I am. We'll have Jim take the girls home first, then fly us to Vegas. We can get there by the time they're scheduled to be at _Sweet Peaks_."

Isabella was quiet as she contemplated my plan. I knew I'd sold her on it when her face creased into a smile that had conspiracy wrote all over it.

"Juan and Niko are sort of friendly. In fact, one of our entertainers went to work for his club out there. Shayla, she wants to be an actress." Isabella rolled her eyes, then said, "Give me a minute to make a couple of phone calls. I have an idea."

Leaving Isabella alone in Raphael's office to make her calls, I thought about how great of a pair we made, and how the men in our lives were always going to be on their toes.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket to call Jim, the RangeMan pilot, to tell him about the change of plans.

Lula, Mary Lou, and Connie were surprised when we told them we were going to ride with them back to Trenton. I told Isabella before we left Raphael's house that it would be better not to tell them the real reason we were flying with them. I'd been on more than one misadventure with every single one of the girls, and I felt the best chance for making our trip to Vegas successful was to keep our numbers small.

We plotted our strategy all the way to Las Vegas, and landed with two hours until Carlos' scheduled 'bed dance.'

**TBC**

Author's notes: I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Best Wishes.

As always, my heart felt thanks to all my readers and most importantly my reviews and plot players! You make this all worth it! Thank you!


	32. Deal Breaker

**Best Wishes**

By:amkp

Chapter 32-Deal Breaker

Disclaimer: Ranger, Stephanie and the Merry Men are hers. All the others are mine, all mine! Nor do I own any of the places mention or the rights to 'Something in Your Mouth' by Nickelback. The song might not be the most appropriate for the scene, but I love Nickelback and use any excuse to get their stuff into my work! LOL.

Author's notes: I didn't ask a plot player question for the past chapter, well, because I didn't plan on cutting these two into separate parts. LOL. There is one final question with the last chapter. Stay tuned.

I'd like to thank everyone who has taken the time to review. It means a lot, and I know I got a bit greedy with a demand for 50 reviews for this chapter. I'm sorry. It did set an all-time record for me, thank you so much!

This chapter was brainstormed with the 'real life' Isabella. She's great! Thank ya, Babe!

Faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap buildings and beta chapters in a single bound. Yep, SuperBeta Jenny flew over this chapter! Love ya, Babe!

**RPOV**

I reflected on the weekend as the Hummer Limousine took us to what the guys promised was the last stop. All in all, the weekend had been a lot of fun.

The first leg of the trip had been a stop at the Grand Canyon, where we went kayaking on Colorado River. What a rush! The thrill of the driving current propelling you through the water was incredible. We all had a great time.

From there, we traveled to Las Vegas and arrived at the Palms Hotel. The guys had rented the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa suite for two nights. The room was very opulent, and larger than my penthouse on seven in Trenton.

The evening was spent in the suite for a high stakes poker game, complete with scantily clad waitresses that were willing to offer more than refreshments, if you were interested, which I was not. Santos left with his favorite two of the evening early. Some things never change.

Saturday morning had brought open-wheel racing at a track outside of Vegas. Wagers were laid, and I'd left the track a wealthier man than when I arrived. Brown was pissed that I'd beat him by half a tire wheel width. We had to use photo finish to determine the winner.

The afternoon hours were passed at the topless pool at the Mirage, where I took a Stephanie-worthy nap, or at least attempted to. I wasn't interested in any of the eye candy. The guys were, though. Between their whistling and flirting with the women that surrounded our area, it was impossible to get any rest.

I'd advised Raphael to watch his behavior, if he didn't want anything to get back to Isabella.

Stephanie was wearing off on him; he rolled his eyes and told me he didn't need a chaperone. In his words, "I'm just looking at the menu, I ain't placing an order!"

Honestly, though, he'd been pretty well behaved so far. It was still hard to believe that he'd remained faithful and abstinent for Isabella. _Women made you do strange things!_

I knew first hand how difficult it was, since I'd suffered similarly while I waited for Stephanie. The stress had made him hard to deal with on more than one occasion. When he was nearly impossible to live with, I'd taken him downstairs to the mats. Of course, the last three weeks, those trips had increased, and I felt no reason to tell why we'd suddenly made sparring a near daily exercise.

Thank Dios, the latest 'stupid deal' I'd proposed was nearly over. In fact, the next week had better move quickly, or I didn't know if we were going to make it. Stephanie would be lucky if I didn't haul her away from the wedding as soon as the 'I do's' were said. Screw the reception, our families, and everything we'd planned for nearly six months.

Consummation of our marriage would be the sole focus of my thoughts by then, and probably hers as well. Our wedding night was going to be unforgettable. _Which is exactly why you're doing this, Manoso!_

The Hummer pulled to a stop outside of the last strip club, _Sweet Peaks_. _Great._ This made the third, and had better be our last. If it wasn't, I was disappearing. I knew the moment we'd announced our engagement that this night would come to be. I'd played along with the guys so far, but this was it. No more. I planned on leaving one way or the other within an hour.

These strip clubs were just making my suffering worst. Every naked woman I saw made me ache for Stephanie. None of them appealed to me. The situtation just made me insanely horny, and there was only one woman that was going to cure that condition.

I wanted to beat my head against the wall for banning self gratification as part of our deal. _That was fucking ignorant, Manoso!_ The rational, non-testosterone fed side of my brain knew that jerking off still wasn't a solution. Being buried inside her was all that was going to work.

Since our engagement, and up until the thirty-day deal, our lovemaking had become an intricate part of our relationship. Not sharing our bodies with one another had been like trying to temper breathing.

Saturday couldn't get here quickly enough! I wasn't sure either of us was going to be able to walk when we finally stumbled out of bed, sometime late Sunday, if then! I just needed to keep reminding myself how good it was going to be to make love to her again after a month of doing without. Dios, it was going to be phenomenal!

The door of the club was thrown open by a heavily tattooed and pierced bouncer.

Santos yelled over the music, "Oh hell yeah! Full nude. I love life!"

Checking my watch, I noted the time. One hour. There was no way they were going to be ready to leave by then, but I was calling a cab. No doubt about it.

We were shown to a table directly in front of the stage. Waitresses swarmed instantly. We'd just finished our first drinks, when the guys all stood. I knew it was too much to think that we were leaving, and the thought was proven correct when Tank seized my arm.

"What the fuck!" I demanded. "If you think you're hauling my ass up on stage, you've got another thing coming. Somebody's going to get hurt. Starting with you!"

"Calm down, man. I've got your back," Tank whispered quickly into my ear. "Just play along. This was Santos' idea, and all the rest of employees chipped in. Find a way to get out of there in twenty minutes. Turn right out of the door, and go to the back entrance. I'll have a car waiting." Tank tightened his grip on my arm and added, "Make this believable, or we're both screwed!"

I jerked my arm out of Tank's hold, and shoved at his shoulder. "You better hope that Steph never hears about whatever you guys have planned," I warned as Santos and Tank each ushered me towards a back hallway.

Raphael fell in step behind our group. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," he quipped.

"You'd better fucking hope so, bro, because I'll be helping her plan her revenge if it doesn't. It'll make losing your Spider look like an hour on monitor duty!"

Santos laughed. "C'mon, man, we just want you to experience a bit of harmless freedom before you lock that ring on your finger. Look, don't touch, right Rafe? Live a little!"

Stopping, I turned to face the guys. "I'm about to marry Stephanie Plum, a.k.a. the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. Who says I'm not living?"

That stumped them all for a minute, and I gave serious thought to a bolt and run. If I got a jump on them, I was pretty sure I could make it. Tank must have realized my intention as he reclaimed a hold on my forearm, and mouthed 'twenty minutes' to me. Any hope of escape was prevented when a beautiful brunette wearing a skimpy negligee walked towards us.

"You must be Mr. Manoso." She greeted me with a warm smile. "I hear you're about to be a married man. Too bad," she purred as she traced a fingernail down my chest.

I clamped my hand around her wrist about halfway down, and pierced her with a dark look that wisely had her taking a step back.

"You seem a bit uptight. I'm sure Shayla and her friend will be able to loosen you up. Please, step inside." The woman opened a door to our right.

It was dark, with a bed to the left, draped in red satin sheets, and black, velvet restraints laid across the top of the bedspread. _Oh, fuck no! _A pole took center position in the room, with the only source of light coming from a spot directly above it.

"Ooh rah!" Santos exclaimed. "Ranger, man, you're one lucky bastard."

My eyes flicked to him. "I'll gladly let you take my place."

"Uh, no. The guys would kill me. Besides, there's a sweet little thing out front I wanna get a better look at. Have fun!" he said as they all pushed me inside the room. The door shut softly with a near-silent click.

There was no way in hell I was going anywhere near that bed. I took a position in the corner of the room behind the door. I folded my arms across my chest and crossed my right leg over my left ankle. It was a pose meant to intimidate. I slammed my blank face down while I waited, which wasn't long.

The door opened slowly, and a blonde, wearing a floor-length leopard-print nightgown and mile-high heels, entered. She pushed the door shut and stood with her back against it, hands clasped on the knob, her huge breasts jutted out in front of her. Her eyes raked down my body.

I'd been subjected to these looks before, and it pissed me off. Stephanie was one of the few people that saw past my exterior to the man that lay beneath.

"Well, hell, handsome, if I'd have known how good looking you were, I'd have agreed to do this for free."

"You won't be _'doing this'_ at all. The only woman I'm interested in is in Miami."

"Really?" she taunted in a low, sex-laced voice. "I'll bet you'll change your mind when my friend joins me in a couple of minutes. You'll be ready to take her against that wall within ten seconds of her walking in."

"That isn't going to happen," I assured her. "What are they paying the two of you to be here?"

"$1,000."

"I'll double the money if you just leave me alone."

The stripper smiled coyly. "The guys told me you'd try to offer me money to get out of here. But I feel like taking a little gamble, because you are the hottest thing I've seen in a long time, and doing you won't be any kind of hardship."

"I'm not interested."

"Hear me out. How about this? If you're not interested in me or my friend after our dance, we'll leave you alone without any extra money from you. We'll even go out front and brag up to your friends about our good time. Hang with you to keep the other girls away." She licked her lips seductively and ran a hand down her body. "If you are interested, we get triple the money. We leave here, go back to your hotel room, and fuck you all night long."

Getting out of here was going to be easier than I thought, as I agreed to her plan with a nod of my head.

She rapped her knuckles lightly on the door in a three tap cadence. The door opened, and in stepped Stephanie, wearing skin-tight camo-print shorts, a see through camo shirt with a black bra underneath, and black boots laced up to her knees. Her hair was down, with her eyes heavily made up in a look that spelled pure sex. It took less than ten seconds for my cock to snap to attention, and for me to contemplate taking her against the wall.

I gave a small laugh and smiled at the stripper. "You set me up," I said with no heat, as I reached into my back pocket for my wallet.

"Keep it, handsome," she purred, returning my smile. "You two have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she teased with a laugh as she closed the door.

Stephanie gave me a little finger wave as she leaned against the wall.

I shook my head and said softly, "Babe."

"I hope you're not sorry I interrupted your party."

"More like rescued me from an uncomfortable situation. I'm glad to see you."

"Would you like to see more of me?" she teased.

Quirking an eyebrow, I shot her a steady stare.

A shiver made its way visibly down her body. "Umm, why don't you sit on the bed? I'm going to show you a little piece of what my bachelorette party was like."

This had me curious as I walked the few steps over to the bed. All I really wanted to do was toss her down on it and forget all about the thirty-day deal.

Stephanie tapped the same three cadence tap from before, and music instantly filled the room. I recognized the song from Stephanie's iPod she sometimes played in the car, _Something in Your Mouth _by Nickelback.

She swung her hips in time with the music, then slowly walked towards the pole in the center of the room. She got a grip high up on the pole and walked in a wide circle around it. When the beat kicked up, she wrapped her knee around the pole and spun down it.

_Holy __fuck__!_

Stephanie slid to the floor, then sat up on her knees. She draped one arm behind her to grab the pole, as she arched back and put two fingers from her left hand in her mouth.

_The deal was history! There was no way I was going to be able to resist this._

Her fingers trailed down her body and hitched into the waistband of her tight fitting shorts. She undid the snap, turned her back to me, and worked the material down her legs with her ass in the air while I watched, gulping at the barely there black thong that was exposed.

The shorts flew over my head when she gave them a toss, but my eyes were locked on her. She did a body roll against the pole, then reached for the hem of the see through top. It followed the path of the shorts. Stephanie twirled around the pole as the chorus of the song played. She was spinning fast, her hair flying out around her as she lifted her body off the ground. I was enthralled. I'd never seen her do anything as erotic as this.

When she released the clasp of her bra and exposed her breasts, I started to get up from the bed, the need to touch her overriding the desire to watch her complete the dance.

Stephanie pointed back to the bed with a stern look.

_Shit, Damn, Fuck!_ A couple more minutes of this, and I'd be cumming in my pants like a teenage boy.

By the end of the song, she was naked. The only thing she had on was the boots. She crawled towards me with a predatory slowness on her hands and knees. From the look on her face, she knew she had me.

The deal was over. History. _Suck it up, Manoso, you're done!_

She lightly caressed her fingers up my leg, and chewed on her bottom lip. When she reached in between my legs and found my rock hard cock, she smiled a victorious grin.

I wanted to be mad or upset that we'd come so close to our goal and had caved, but it wasn't in me; the only emotion now was pure hunger. I had to have her.

Since I'd resigned myself to the fact that I'd lost, I decided to make the most of my failure, and that wasn't going to happen here.

"You win," I told her as I found her clothes and handed them to her.

"I'm confused." Her eyebrows wrinkled together as she studied the clothes in her hands. "If I won, why am I getting dressed, and why aren't we making good use of that bed?"

"Because if we're going to do this, we're going to do it right. I'm taking you back to my hotel room, where we won't have a time limit and we can make love all night long."

It seemed she was all for that as she quickly pulled on her clothes. When we exited the room, I turned to the right as Tank had instructed earlier, and ran straight into Isabella. _What __the...?_

Isabella smiled warmly at us and handed Stephanie a black wrap around dress and Stephanie's purse. "You're leaving? So soon?" she teased, looking between the two of us.

Stephanie giggled and gave Isabella the thumbs up sign.

They exchanged a hug before Isabella told us, "Have fun! See ya, tomorrow."

"Late tomorrow," I said, guiding Stephanie towards the back door to the waiting car.

Neither of us saw much on the drive back to the Palms. I had Stephanie in my lap, our lips traveled over each other, and our hands sneaked under clothing to tease and caress skin. We were both about to combust by the time the car pulled to a stop in front of the Palms. I tossed the driver a fifty and didn't wait for change.

After grabbing Stephanie's hand, we walked briskly through the lobby to the bank of elevators. No one shared the elevator with us on the ride to my floor, thank fuck, because I had her dress loosened and half off by the time we arrived on the villa's floor. Stephanie spent the trip undoing the buttons of my shirt; as the elevator stopped, she began working on my belt.

We left a trail of clothes from the door to the bedroom. We were naked by the time we fell onto the bed. I flipped a switch on the headboard, and the bed started to revolve.

Stephanie flattened her hands on the bed. "Batman, the Earth is moving!"

"Yeah, Babe, I know. Happens every time I see you naked," I informed her casually as I kissed my way down her neck to her breasts. I sucked one beautiful nipple into my mouth, and hummed in pleasure. _Dios, she tasted good._

"We're spinning!" she exclaimed, watching the room turn in a small circle. She sat up onto her elbows. "Wow, what kind of room is this?"

"It's the Hugh Hefner suite."

"Like Playboy?"

"Uh huh," I agreed, trailing my fingers down between her folds, then looked up at her with my eyebrow arched up. "Do you really want to talk about our accommodations right now?"

"Not really," she said with disinterest. "I've got something better to do." Her teeth scraped along my neck, and her fingers wrapped around my cock as she began to stroke down my erection.

**Tank's POV**

I did feel sorry for Ranger. Even though they hadn't actually planned for him to have sex with any of the women here, they had set out to make him extremely uncomfortable by getting him a lap dance and to make him watch a couple of women 'do it' together. Luckily, I_had_ talked them out of dragging him up on stage. Yeah, that would have gotten ugly and probably resulted in a trip to the ER.

The guys didn't know him as well as I did. Hell, even Raphael had jumped in with me when I'd tried to discourage the VIP room, but the guys wouldn't listen. So I'd made my own plan.

The driver of the cab had just called me to let me know he was out back. I checked my watch; hopefully, Ranger could get out of the room within the next few minutes. I'd make a trip back to that area in another five minutes or so to check for myself, and offer assistance if he needed it.

As it turned out, he didn't. An attractive woman slid onto my lap and introduced herself as Shayla.

"You're with that handsome bachelor, aren't you, big boy?" she purred.

I didn't respond, just gave her a hard look and eased her off my lap.

She took the brush off easily, and settled herself on Santos' lap. "You look a lot like him. Are you related?"

Santos nodded and smiled broadly at her.

"Can I get as lucky with you as my friend did with him?"

That got my attention. "What?" I demanded, and she whipped her head around to me.

Shayla's laughter rang out. "The two of them were fucking like bunnies back there, and making so much noise the manager kicked them out. He told them to take it back to his hotel room. They just left," she informed us, trailing a finger down Santos' arm.

I jumped up from the table so fast that most of the contents spilled everywhere. I saw pure red. Never in a million years had I expected Ranger to cheat on Stephanie, especially with a stripper. I stormed towards the door, with the guys trailing in my path. Rage boiled in my blood. I was going to break him into little pieces. He deserved it.

The guys tried to calm me as we settled into the Hummer. I barked at the driver, "The Palms. Like ten minutes ago!"

We were halfway back to the hotel when my phone rang.

"Speak!" I growled into the phone, not even bothering to check who it was.

"Tank, man, I'm sorry, did I interrupt something? You sound pissed!" the voice on the other end asked with hesitation.

"What do you need, Jim?" I didn't answer his question. I wasn't in the mood for small talk.

"Well, I was wondering where you guys were. I'd like to catch up with you and buy Ranger a drink."

"You're in Vegas? What the hell are you doing out here?"

"I brought Stephanie and Isabella out. I just got done securing the plane and dropping their luggage off at the Palms."

"Where are they now?" I demanded.

"I don't know. They left when we landed. My guess would be they're at the hotel."

"You didn't see them when you were there?"

"No. I left the luggage with the Concierge."

"We're on our way back to the Palms. Ranger's AWOL." What I didn't add was that he was liable to be dead within minutes of me getting my hands on him when we got there. That is, if Bomber hadn't already done the job when Ranger showed up with the stripper. "Meet us in the lobby of the Palms at 0200." I snapped the phone shut and looked over at Raphael.

"Seems your girlfriend and Steph decided to take a little trip to Vegas."

"Isabella's out here?"

I nodded my head. Raphael instantly reached for his phone, punching a speed dial number in, and waited.

"Hey, sugar, how are you? More importantly where are you?" Raphael cooed into the phone.

_The man had it bad!_ I thought briefly of my relationship with Susan. Normally, just thinking of her calmed me, but not right now. Even that didn't work.

"Oh, you are? Where's Steph?" There was a pause before he exclaimed, _"She's where?_ Oh, fuck! Isabella, I gotta go. I'll meet you at my room in a while, okay?"

Raphael shut the phone without another word and hung his head. "Part of Stephanie's bachelorette party was at my house. She found our itinerary and decided to surprise Carlos. She's on her way to the hotel right now!"

"Driver! Speed the fuck up!" I demanded.

The Hummer hadn't completely pulled to a stop as we all jumped out. I charged for the elevators and rammed my finger into the call button, breaking the plastic cover. Within seconds, the doors slid open, and we shot to the penthouse level.

I kicked the door to the room open with a well placed foot to the latch, and stormed inside.

"Ranger!" I yelled. "Get your ass out here, _now__!"_

**SPOV**

Carlos' magic fingers had me primed for action. All I needed right at this moment was him. His body settled over mine, and I spread my legs wide to allow him better access to where I wanted him most. I felt the tip of his cock press at my entrance and sighed in relief; the deal was done!

Before he could slide all the way into me, we heard the door to the suite bang open with a loud crash.

Carlos bounded off the bed, reaching for his gun on the bedside table and throwing on a pair of running shorts from the dresser as we heard Tank yell.

_Boy, did he sound pissed!_

Dropping the gun onto the bed, Carlos crossed the room to the bedroom door. Just as he reached for the knob, we heard Tank again.

"Stephanie's coming! You've got to get that woman out of your bed!"

My eyes shot to Carlos. He caught my gaze and I murmured, "Correction. Stephanie _was_ coming before Tank rudely interrupted!"

The sound of Carlos' laughter filled the room. _Glad he was enjoying himself._ I was ready to throw Tank out the window, just like I'd seen him do during my first redecorating job!

Tank's heavy footfalls came to the outside of the bedroom door. "Are you laughing? You're not going to find it so funny when I kick your ass all the way back to Miami!"

One sexy eyebrow raised on Carlos' face. I grabbed the covers and pulled them around my body as the door to the room flew open. An extremely mad Tank filled the doorway, anger rolling off him in waves. I shrunk back into the mound of pillows on the bed, burrowing further under the blankets. Tank didn't even glance towards the bed. His eyes immediately zeroed in on Carlos. He was leaning down into Carlos' face in two long strides.

"How the fuck are you going to explain this to Stephanie?" He spoke harshly to Carlos, a mere inch from his face.

Carlos was not intimidated in the least. He shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner. Batman was braver than I'd ever given him credit for; I'd have peed my pants by now if I were in his place.

"I can't believe you'd do this to her!" Tank spit out.

"Me, either," I agreed. "I was so close to ending this stupid deal!"

Tank's eyes flashed to the bed, and I gave him a little finger wave. His mouth fell open, and my humiliation reached an all-time high as the rest of the guys filed into the room.

"Beautiful?" Santos said in disbelief.

"What deal?" Raphael demanded.

"The no sex for thirty days before the wedding deal!" The words flew out before I had a chance to think about what I was saying. I belatedly threw my hand over my mouth in an effort to pull them back in.

"That sucks," Bobby sympathized with me. "Whose lame brain idea was that?"

I pointed to Carlos. "We were this close," I held my fingers up to show hardly any space between them, "to ending the deal, when you guys busted in. Thanks a lot!"

Raphael doubled over with laughter, slapping his hand on his thigh. When he finally got himself under control, he looked at Carlos. "No wonder we'd spent so much time on the mats the last couple of weeks!"

"_Out!"_ Carlos barked, and pointed for the door.

Tank mouthed 'sorry' to me as he quietly shut the door behind him.

"What are the chances of us picking up where we left off?" I asked hopefully.

"Babe." Whichtranslated into_, 'Not a chance in hell.' _Yeah, having all the guys storm into the room had been a real mood killer.

I began thumping my head hard against the headboard. Maybe I could knock myself unconscious and wake up sometime next week. Like Saturday, moments before the wedding! That way I wouldn't have to suffer through another seven days.

"Stephanie, stop, you're going to hurt yourself, or at the very least, give yourself a headache." Carlos grabbed my shoulders and held me a distance away from the headboard. He brushed a kiss to my forehead. "Think of this deal as practice. If we should decide to have a baby, we'll have to wait six weeks before we can make love after the baby's born."

"Argh!" I groaned as I collapsed back onto the bed. That happy note had me considering if I ever really wanted to have a baby. There better be a whole lot more than three 'get off' cards during that time!

Carlos' hand came to rest lightly on my stomach. "Someday," he said softly, with a hint of hopefulness.

Right, someday. After a whole bunch of days, no weeks, make that months, maybe years of sex with my soon-to-be husband. Yeah, that sounded more like it!

**TBC**

Author's notes: I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Best Wishes. The final installment, the wedding of Carlos Manoso to Stephanie Plum, will post on Monday, July 19th, my 'real life' wedding anniversary! How cool is that? Please review. Thanks!


	33. Loose Ends

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 33-Loose Ends

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them…some more than others. I'll let you figure out my favorite! LOL. If they aren't hers, they're mine.

Author's notes: Well, surprise, surprise, bet you didn't see this one coming. A bonus chapter! Yay! Actually, what happened was I realized I had a lot of 'loose ends' to tie up before this story completed and didn't want them to distract from the wedding chapter. Soooo, now we have this one! Hope you enjoy.

I haven't returned reviews from last chapter, yet, but I will, I promise. The plan is to finish the final chapter, then get to them and work on another surprise that'll post with the last chapter! Please don't think that because I haven't been prompt with returning reviews that I don't treasure every single one, because I do! Real life has just been moving in the fast lane and I'm spreading myself a little thin. I'm leaving on vacation two days after Best Wishes completes!

Thanks to all of you who have supported my writing! I couldn't even put a monetary value on it! Seriously. But it seems like JE can, to the tune of 50 million for four more books! Yep. That's what she asked for from her publisher. Their answer: No. The Plum series _may _have ended at 16, dear friends. Supposedly, she's shopping for a new publisher. I wonder how that'll work out?

SuperBeta Jenny flew over this chapter and worked her magic. Thanks so much, Babe! Also to Cara, for her friendship and support. And last but not least, my co-conspirator in the upcoming surprise, the 'real life' Isabella! Thanks for everything you've done, Babe!

**SPOV**

It was Tuesday, four days before the wedding, and I was meeting Isabella for lunch for the last time as a single woman. _How weird is that?_ The nerves were starting to set in already. Maybe nerves wasn't the best term. I was excited. Yeah, that's better. Excited about a lot of things: being Mrs. Carlos Manoso, my surprise honeymoon, and most importantly, the end to the deal! Yep. I was _really_ excited about that!

Isabella was waiting for me at 'our' table when I arrived, late, of course. She was always prompt.

"Hey," I greeted, flopping myself down into the seat next to her.

She leaned over and gave me a little squeeze. "How's the bride-to-be doing?"

"I'm starting to feel the effects," I joked. "We could have avoided all of this if Carlos would have just agreed to elope while we were in Vegas this past weekend."

Isabella's eyes widened in shock. "You considered that?"

"Oh, yeah. I was desperate and getting a little crazy about trying to end this stupid deal!" I fumed.

That caused her to start laughing. "Rafe told me about that."

"Speaking of Rafe, what happened between you two after they all busted into our room and ruined my good time?"

Isabella winced. "I'm sorry Shayla got caught up in her little act. I had no idea she went out to the table and got the guys all stirred up. Especially Tank. Rafe said he was pissed and really scary."

"He was. Man, he got right in Carlos' face." I smiled. Tank may be one of Carlos' best friends, but he was like a big brother to me, and he wasn't putting up with any shit from Carlos. "Sooo, back to Rafe," I led her. "What happened?"

"I slept with him," Isabella said shyly, her voice just above a whisper.

"_You what!"_ I exclaimed, causing several diners to turn and look at us with interest.

Her face flushed with color. "Shhh, not like _that._"

"I think you'd better explain."

"We, umm, shared the same bed. No sex." Her eyes lowered, and I had to lean forward to hear as she added, "We were naked, though. He insisted."

One, no two, _damn it_, eyebrows shot up on my face. "Naked?"

"Rafe said, 'no woman sharing his bed was wearing clothes.' I had to be naked, and so was he."

"_And?" _I rolled my eyes.

"And," Isabella hesitated. "It was nice."

"Nice?" Look at these one word questions. Carlos was wearing off on me.

"I'm in love with him," Isabella blurted out, seeming surprised and relieved that she'd said it.

"Have you told him?"

She shook her head. "I've never told another man that. Ever."

"Has he told you?" I questioned, and she shook her head again. "I know he's never said that to another woman. He told me when I was setting up the thirty-day deal with him to get a date with you."

Isabella gave a nervous laugh. "How _were_ you going to make that happen, by the way?"

"I'm very resourceful when there's a need. Haven't you noticed that, yet?"

"Yeah, I think I have. We just got back from an impromptu trip to Vegas, remember?"

We laughed, and she asked about the expression on Carlos' face when I'd entered the room at _Sweet Peaks_.

"It was priceless. He was so shocked, and more than a little relieved, though I don't know if anyone but I would have realized it. He doesn't show his emotions much around others. They're very subtle when he does."

"I have a hard time reading Rafe sometimes as well. Must run in the family. Though, I bet at your wedding, Carlos will be showing all sorts of emotion. He's very much in love with you; that shows loud and clear."

That caused a warm sensation in my heart. Yeah, there were probably going to be a few people in attendance that were going to be surprised by seeing Carlos' emotions. He'd mastered the blank face, and practiced it for years. Since we'd become a couple, it wasn't as prevalent as it had been when we first met. The only time I saw it now was when he was working.

I'd be lucky if I didn't cry with happiness all the way through the ceremony, which thankfully was going to be very short. Less than fifteen minutes, the officiant had told us when we met with him last week and gave him our marriage license.

Isabella got out the wedding binder that had everything to do with our wedding inside. She'd organized it all, and we'd gone over it every week at lunch. This week was last minute details.

"Here's the movie," Isabella said, passing me the DVD. "I can't believe he's never seen it. The gift arrived at Rafe's last night. It's awesome! We should run by and see it when we're done here."

"You've got a key to Rafe's?" I asked.

The blush was back as she nodded her head.

"Are you going to _sleep_ with him?" Okay, so that was nosey, but give me a break, I'm from the 'Burg, and I'm insanely curious!

Isabella chewed on her lip. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm tempted. More than I've ever been with another man, and he hasn't pushed…much, about the subject." She paused and reflected as the blush deepened. "Things have gotten carried away a couple times, and I've called a stop. I know he's been frustrated by it, more than once, but he just walks away and I give him space. It takes a while for things to level out again. He always apologizes afterwards. Well, so do I. It's gotten to the point that I care about him so much, I hate seeing him suffer, and I know he is. My lifestyle differed a lot from his when we met."

"No shit," I murmured under my breath.

She gently hit my arm, "Hey!" she said with a smile. "Anyway, he's made the effort for me, and I keep asking myself if I'm the one that's not being flexible now."

"Isabella, what you've done, the choices you've made, hell, I don't know how you've done it, but you obviously felt strongly about your reasons. Think this through, talk to Rafe, before you make any big changes in your decision."

"Talk to Rafe…" she hesitated. "As unbelievable as it is, I think he'd want me to wait. Even if it meant more uncomfortable moments for him."

"Maybe you two can find a compromise. That's how Carlos and I work out our differences most of the time. It's all about balance." _Look at me!_ Now that I knew how a 'healthy' relationship worked, I wanted one for everyone, and was freely handing out advice!

"It's an idea. I'll think about it and talk to him. It was nice waking up in his arms in Vegas," she said wistfully, and the blush returned yet again. "Boy, was he ready for more than I was willing to give, too. He took like a twenty minute cold shower when he got out of bed!"

"Yeah, that must run in the family as well. Carlos has taken his fair share of cold showers, the most in the last couple weeks, and he's definitely a _morning_ person. Heck, up until a month ago, he was pretty much an_anytime_ person. God, I can't wait for our honeymoon!"

We finished lunch and dropped by Rafe's house to see Carlos' wedding gift. It _was_ perfect. I knew he was going to love it! Daddy had helped give me the idea, and Isabella and Rafe had located it for me. I couldn't wait to watch the DVD with Carlos and see if he said anything about it during the movie.

Wednesday night, we sat on the couch, enjoying our last night alone together before the wedding. Tomorrow, our families arrived, then Friday afternoon the guys and the rest of the guests flew in.

I opened the DVD case to _Gone in 60 __Seconds__,_ extracted the disc, and handed the empty case to Carlos. Sliding the movie into the Blu-ray player, I grabbed the remote, then sat down next to him on the couch. He was looking at the back of the case, reading the description.

"You've never seen this movie?"

He shook his head. "I was out of the country most of the year it came out. And until you, Babe, I didn't watch many movies. I've seen _Ghostbusters_ more times then all the other movies I've seen combined."

Shooting a glare at him, I asked, "Is that an insult?"

"No, Steph, it's a statement of truth." Carlos gently rubbed my back. "It's not that I don't like watching movies, it's just not something I've ever done regularly. It isn't much fun to watch them by yourself."

I could understand that logic. Other than _Ghostbusters__,_ I rarely watched a movie alone.

When a handcuffed Kip was placed in the car crusher, I gave a shudder. This was a little too close for comfort, as a scene from my past flashed back before my eyes.

"Easy, Babe," Carlos comforted me, pulling me onto his lap. He gave a chuckle. "So far, this movie is striking home for both of us. I boosted a few cars during my misspent youth."

Later in the movie, when Memphis listed car names and mentioned Edna, Carlos cringed and muttered, "That one's going to be trouble."

When Eleanor was introduced, he cursed softly. "Damn, that's a hot car!"

_Mission accomplished!_

Friday night found all of our family and friends gathered in a private room at one of the local seafood restaurants. Since the ceremony was going to be so short, there wasn't a need for a rehearsal, and we'd decided to just have a dinner with everyone.

Lester had just finished a funny toast that insulted Carlos' manhood, when Carlos motioned him over to our end of the table.

"Hey, man, ya know I was just teasing?"

Carlos gave him a dark look that wasn't too threatening, since the corners of his mouth were tipped up slightly. "This isn't about that. It's about Vegas."

Lester groaned. "I just wanted you to have a little harmless fun. We didn't mean anything by it, honest!" he pleaded, looking between Carlos and me.

We'd talked about our revenge, and Carlos had found the perfect solution. I started to tell Lester about it. "RangeMan has a special training contract with the government coming up at the beginning of next week. Since we're going to be on our honeymoon, Carlos decided to send you in his place."

"Oh, wow! This is great! Usually Tank gets to go on all the cool assignments if he can't. Where am I going?"

Carlos answered him. "Yobe's Desert, Africa."

"The desert?" Lester questioned, wrinkling his nose with a hint of disgust. "Shit, why couldn't I be sent to a tropical location? I don't know which is worse in the desert... the heat or the fucking sand fleas."

"You'll have plenty of opportunity to find out," I said cheerfully.

"Babe, your mean streak is a little scary sometimes," Carlos whispered softly as he tucked a curl behind my ear.

"You better remember that, Batman!"

Carlos leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine. "I plan on staying on your good side."

I smiled when he kissed me again. We were interrupted by Lester clearing his throat.

"I leave Monday? For how long?"

Carlos laughed. "The contract is for two months. I'd planned on breaking it up between two men in one month increments, but Stephanie convinced me to let you fulfill the entire commitment."

Lester flopped down in a chair to Carlos' left. "Two months?"

_Now, for the best part._ I smiled brightly at Lester. "It's an all-male group. You won't be seeing another female for two months." I leaned over to pat his hand resting on the table. "Better have all your fun in the next couple of days; you're about to have a long dry spell!"

Lester thunked his head against the table dramatically and groaned.

Carlos shook his head, smiling at Lester's discomfort. "Paybacks are a bitch, Santos. You might want to remember that in the future."

It was a little before eleven when everyone was finished, and it was time for me to say goodnight to Carlos. We were in an alley next to the restaurant. My back was pressed to the brick wall as his hard body leaned into me. His left thigh was wedge between my legs, and my arms draped loosely around his neck. With our foreheads resting together, I breathed, "This feels familiar."

"It's been a while since I've had you in this position," he agreed.

"Yeah, and I'm going to walk out of here just as frustrated as I always did in Trenton."

Carlos flexed the muscle in his thigh, and the pressure hit exactly the right spot on me. I moaned, then rubbed myself shamelessly against his leg. His mouth claimed mine in a passionate kiss. I could feel the entire length of his erection pressing against my stomach, causing me to bite my nails into his back. _God, he felt so good, so right._

Things were getting carried away, quickly, when he suddenly stepped back. His hands gripped my upper arms in an effort to steady me, while we took a moment to compose ourselves.

"Less than eighteen hours, Babe. There won't be any stopping after that."

"There better not be! I hope you can keep up."

His eyebrow arched up. "Is that a challenge?"

"You can take it however you like," I said coyly. Honestly, who was I kidding? His stamina was a lot stronger than mine. I'd probably pass out from exhaustion after a couple of orgasms. I was just pulling Batman's cape.

"You'd better get a good night's sleep, Stephanie. It'll be your last full one for several nights." Carlos sexy timbre promised, "I plan on having you every few hours at least for the next week."

My whole body shivered as the words traveled straight to my doodah. When he sucked softly on my earlobe, I moaned again.

"Hey, you two, break it up! You've got the rest of your lives for that stuff!" Raphael exclaimed from the sidewalk at the end of the alley. "Let's go, bro."

Carlos' handsome face creased into a smile. "Last kiss as my fiancée, Babe. In eleven hours, you'll be my wife." His lips were soft, and the tip of his tongue traced the outline of my mouth before plunging inside.

I tangled my fingers into his hair and gave myself over completely to our kiss. As we separated, he rested his forehead briefly to mine. "Sleep well. I love you, Stephanie."

"I love you, too," I whispered.

"I'll see you tomorrow, eleven a.m. sharp!" he said as we walked hand in hand out of the alley.

"I'll be ready, I promise," I told him, giving one last squeeze before releasing his hand.

Raphael threw an arm over Carlos' shoulders and steered him towards his car. I watched as they threw quick jabs at each other on their way to the vehicle.

"Men," Isabella whispered in exasperation.

I looked at her, and we both laughed, then turned towards the Lamborghini.

When we got back to the house, everyone was ready for bed. We said goodnight, and I made my way upstairs. I lay down in our bed, missing him terribly. I reached over and grabbed his pillow, cuddling it against my chest, and inhaled the lingering scent of Bvlargi. I closed my eyes, pictured his face, and smiled, then felt the comforting pull of sleep settle around me.

**RPOV**

Life was strange. Two years ago, I'd never pictured myself waking up on my wedding day. Until I met Stephanie, I never thought I'd get married again, and even after I met her, I wasn't sure it would ever come to be. Yet, here it was, June 7th, our wedding day. I couldn't be happier!

I wondered as I made my way into the bathroom if she was already awake. _It's 0500. That's__ not likely!_ Knowing Stephanie, she'd set her alarm for much later. _My woman loved her sleep!_

I'd planned to run, hoping to pass the time quickly and center my thoughts. I emerged from the bathroom in black shorts, no shirt, and running shoes.

When I arrived in Raphael's living room, I was surprised to find Raphael, my dad, Tank, Santos, and Brown waiting for me. Even Frank was there, but he wasn't dressed for running. He had the morning paper and a travel cup of coffee in his hand.

Seeing what I'm sure was a puzzled expression on my face, my dad spoke up. "Thought we'd join you this morning, to keep you company."

I looked at Frank and raised an eyebrow.

"Not me, son. I did all the running I'm going to do during my stint in the Army. Nope, it's not for me!"

"Stephanie comes by it honestly then?"

"One of the few traits we share, I guess," he commented, settling himself on the deck in a chair as we all did our stretches.

Personally, I could think of several traits they had in common, qualities I loved in Stephanie. I respected Frank Plum, there was no doubt about it.

The six of us started out running south in a steady jog. We ran for nearly an hour down the beach before turning around. We got back to the house and found my entire family awake. My mother and sisters were busy in the kitchen making breakfast. The living room and deck were filled with noise from the children and the other members of the family.

Frank stayed and enjoyed a traditional Cuban breakfast with us. Before he left to return to our house, I handed him a note and gift to give to Stephanie. It was the first of two today, and was by far the smaller one. He agreed to give it to her as soon as he got back to the house, then he was gone. I went upstairs to shower and get dressed. I wanted to check on my other wedding gift for Stephanie, and make sure everything was in order before the pictures began.

**SPOV**

Sunlight filtered in through the many windows of our bedroom. Finally, our wedding day was here! I bounded out of bed with unusual enthusiasm, glancing at the clock as I made my way to the bathroom. It was seven in the morning. In four hours, I would become Mrs. Carlos Manoso! I completed my shower quickly, and when I stepped from the bathroom, wrapped in my robe, I heard knocking at the bedroom door.

"Come in!" I called in a sing-song voice.

My dad's head peeked around the door. "You must be excited about your big day. You're never this cheerful in the morning."

I smiled at him. "I am, Daddy. I know this is right."

We sat on the couch, and he handed me a box. "It's from Carlos. He gave it to me this morning."

"You've seen him?"

"Yes, Ricardo invited me over to Raphael's for breakfast. He also asked me to go running with all of them this morning. I declined."

The thought of my dad running had me busting out in laughter.

"Don't laugh, little girl. In my Army days, I could run an eight minute mile. I hated every second of it, but I could do it."

"Always wondered where my hatred for running came from," I said casually.

Daddy gave a little laugh. "Carlos said almost the same thing earlier."

"He's good?" I questioned. "I mean, did he seem all right? Is he nervous?"

"Carlos seemed very happy this morning; happier than I've ever seen him. He was smiling and taking all the teasing from his family in stride. When I left, he was going upstairs to shower and get ready."

"Whew, I feel better. I'm glad he wanted the ceremony early. The waiting is already killing me, and I've only been up for a few minutes!"

Daddy patted my knee. "You've got a great man in Carlos, pumpkin. I'll be proud to call him my son-in-law."

The first of what I'm sure would be many happy tears I'd shed today welled up. In a gesture that reminded me of Carlos, my dad used his thumb to catch one runaway tear as it trailed down my cheek.

"None of that," Daddy scolded. "Don't want Carlos seeing you all red-eyed when he comes to get you."

"You're okay with our decision, right?"

"Stephanie, it's fine. I've told you both, I understand."

"I know Mom's not happy I'm breaking tradition, but this was something we wanted to do together."

"Today is about the two of you. That's all that's important." He gave me a hug, then placed a kiss to my forehead. "I know you'll make a beautiful bride. I love you, pumpkin."

Tears were filling my eyes again as a knock sounded on the door, and Isabella asked softly, "Umm, can I come in?"

"Sure," Daddy said, rising from the couch. "I was just leaving." He gave me a wink then walked from the room.

"Sorry, did I interrupt something?" Isabella spoke softly, and I noticed she had my cell phone pressed to her leg.

I shook my head, then asked, "Is that Carlos?"

Isabella's nose crinkled slightly. "No, I'm sorry. That's why I answered it. He doesn't get to talk to you until later! I'm screening all your calls," she said without remorse. I shot her a glare before she continued. "In fact, if you don't want to take this call, I'll get rid of them. Tactfully, of course."

"Okay, well, who is it?"

"It's Joe Morelli."

There was a short list of people that I'd expected might call today. Most of my friends and family were already in attendance, and Joe hadn't returned his RSVP card, so I took that as a sign that he wasn't coming or our friendship had reached an end. I didn't think he'd call.

Extending my arm, Isabella lay the phone in my hand. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your breakfast. The hairdresser is going to arrive any minute."

I nodded to her, before speaking into the phone, "Hi, Joe."

"Cup…Stephanie, how are you?"

He sounded tired.

"I'm good. And you?"

"Good. Really good, actually. I became a father at 2:14 this morning."

"Oh, wow! Congratulations! Boy or girl?"

"Girl. Elizabeth Ann, eighteen inches, seven and a half pounds."

"Beth?" I asked of his wife.

"She's resting. The delivery was hard on her."

"Well, tell her congratulations from the Manosos." _Wow, I liked the sound of that!_ Though, from the long pause that followed, Joe didn't feel the same way.

In fact, after a few more seconds, I finally said, "Are you still there?"

"Yeah," he cleared his throat, then gave a chuckle. "Guess I'll never forget the date you married Ranger, even if I wanted to."

"Joe…" I began, only to be stopped by him.

"No, Steph, it's all right. You're happy with him, and I have Beth and now Elizabeth. She is beautiful baby."

"I'm sure she is. You've got the family you've always wanted. Make the most of it!"

"I will," he promised. "And, Cupcake, best wishes to you and Manoso. I wish things would have worked out differently for us…"

"No, Joe, it was never the right fit. God knows we tried often enough, but it wasn't meant to be. We'd have driven each other insane, or ended up hating one another."

"You're probably right," he sighed. "Take care of yourself. Goodbye, Stephanie."

"Goodbye, Joe," I said quietly as I disconnected from the call. I lay the phone down on the couch and walked over to the French doors that opened onto the balcony.

There was all sorts of activity out on the beach. The florist and her helpers were assembling the area for the ceremony. The caterers were placing white cloths on the tables and tying the turquoise bows around the chairs. It was already looking exactly like what I'd envisioned it to be.

Opening the box from Carlos, I found a note wrote in his distinct script that simply said, 'For my bride. Love you, Babe,' and a beautiful diamond necklace that took my breath away!

Isabella joined me on the balcony, setting a breakfast tray down on the table. "Oh my God, Steph! That necklace is breathtaking." She reached out and gently touched it. "From Carlos?" I nodded my head. "It'll look perfect with your dress." Isabella looked out onto the beach. "Everything's coming together. We're right on schedule."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that statement pleased her immensely, as it would Carlos. I, of course, was wondering what sort of disaster would happen. It would be too much to expect nothing to go wrong. _Your__ last name is about to be __Manoso. Maybe__ the good karma will come with the name._ Look out front row parking spots, here I come!

Julie bounded into the room with all the excitement of a teenager. "Steph! Shouldn't we be getting ready?"

While I was giving her a hug, I noticed the hairdresser standing at the bedroom door. Isabella motioned her in, and showed her where to set up. "You can go first, Jules. I'm going to eat my breakfast."

"You're just getting to that? I ate hours ago! I'm ready to eat again."

I kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure Ella will be bringing more stuff up in a little bit."

By 9:30, we all had our hair done, make-up applied, and were finally putting on our dresses. I stood in front of the full-length mirror as Isabella fussed with my dress. Mom, Grandma, Valerie, and the girls from Trenton had come upstairs to watch as I got ready.

Mom straightened my necklace, the gift Carlos had given me earlier through my father, and stepped back to admire my dress. "It's perfect, Stephanie. Simple, but elegant. You make a beautiful bride."

The happy tears were back. Isabella quickly handed me a tissue, and gently warned me about messing up my mascara. I dabbed at the corners of my eyes, and wondered how they can send people into outer space, but they couldn't truly make a waterproof mascara.

Grandma had taken a position directly in front of the picture I'd given Carlos for Christmas. More than once, I looked over and saw her openly staring at his body. When we made eye contact, she smiled. "You're one lucky woman. He's the whole package!"

Lula grunted her agreement as Connie fanned herself with her hand. Mom made the sign of the cross, while Isabella giggled. She was involved with a man that shared similar features with Carlos, and she understood exactly what I was feeling.

The photographer knocked softly on the door. "Are you ready to start some of your pictures? I've already taken the groom's pictures with his friends and family."

I nodded my head, and the photographer led us to the balcony. There were pictures of me by myself, pictures of Isabella and me, Julie and me, then all of us together. After those were all taken, we went downstairs to have pictures of the Plum side of the family. My cheeks were sore from all the smiling by the time I returned back upstairs, twenty minutes before the ceremony was set to begin.

In the bathroom, I put the final touches on my make-up, as Isabella and Julie did the same.

"Make sure you get everything you want in your overnight bag, Steph. Carlos asked me to get it downstairs during the reception, so its ready for your honeymoon."

I tossed my favorite hair brush into the case and zipped it up. All my clothes and other items had already been packed and taken somewhere yesterday. I remembered the two items I'd gotten during my bachlorette party, and went to get them from my hiding place in the closet. I glanced to where I knew Carlos had last hidden the black box, and noticed it was missing. I smiled; it seemed it had already been packed for our honeymoon. I quickly dropped the items into my overnight bag and placed it on the bed.

Isabella nodded her head when she saw the bag sitting on the bed, then fussed with a strand of my hair until she was satisfied with its placement. "I guess it's time for us to get downstairs," she said with a smile. "You look gorgeous. Here are your flowers." Isabella handed them to me. I looked down and noticed they trembled slightly in my hands. Isabella glanced to them and noticed the same thing. She clasped my right hand. "Once you see Carlos, you'll be fine."

Biting lightly on my lower lip, I nodded. "You've got his ring, right?"

She held up her left hand with Carlos' platinum band encircling her thumb. "It's a unique ring, Steph, I love it."

"Yeah, he doesn't wear much jewelry, and I was surprised when he said he'd planned on wearing a wedding ring all the time." Carlos was more into the 'mine' thing than I was, but honestly, the thought of him wearing a wedding band that marked him as 'mine', well, I couldn't be happier about it. And if that showed my possessive side, so be it. He _was_ all mine!

Since he'd purchased my wedding band with the engagement ring, we'd only had to shop for his wedding band. We'd each pointed to this ring at the same time. It was a platinum band with small black diamonds embedded in a line through the center. When he slid it onto his finger, I knew it was the right one. It looked perfect on his strong, mocha-colored hand.

Isabella snapped me back to the present when she spoke again. "I'll make sure Tank has your ring as soon as I get downstairs."

I blew out a breath. _It was going__ to be fine._

"Do you want to go over your vows one last time?"

I shook my head. "No, I've got it. Thank you for practicing them with me so much."

"I considered it part of the honor of being your attendant." Isabella's eyes were bright with tears. "Thank you," she whispered as she pulled me into a hug, then left the room with a smile.

Julie threw herself at me, and it was a good thing we'd decided to get married barefoot, because if I'd have been wearing heels, both of us would have ended up on the floor. "Whoa, Jules!"

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I'm really excited. You're about to be my stepmom! I love you, Stephanie."

"I love you, too, sweetie."

We shared an embrace before she left the room to find her dad. I walked over to the mirror for the final inspection while I waited to meet Carlos.

**RPOV**

The endless pictures with the family and the guys were finally finished. I went and looked one last time at Stephanie's wedding gift before going to the bedroom I used last night and carrying my bag down for Raphael to grab later. I walked out the front door of his house to find everyone gathered on the driveway.

Raphael stepped forward and handed me a key. "Your soon-to-be wife has a very open mind," he said casually.

I arched my eyebrow. "On what subject exactly?"

"As a wedding gift, she bought you another woman."

"_She what?_" I exclaimed with a touch of anger. I was about to get married. The last thing I wanted to discuss was another woman.

Raphael's laughter roared out as he nudged my shoulder and activated one of his garage doors.

Santos was standing closest to the door, and as it opened, he shouted, "Holy shit! It's Eleanor!"

My mother popped Santos on the back of the head. "Language, young man! There are children present," she scolded.

I walked towards the car, and the reason for the movie the other night became crystal clear. I smiled and murmured, "She never disappoints."

Running my hand lightly over the contours of the car as I walked around it, Raphael spoke to me. "She was going to get you a Spider. In fact, she went with me when I ordered my replacement, but her dad talked her into an 'American' car, like a Mustang. Isabella brought up the idea of this one, and after Stephanie watched the movie, she decided it was exactly what she wanted to give you."

It was an awesome car, and would be a great addition to my collection.

"Man, was she ever stressed about what to get you as a gift," Raphael added.

I hated that she'd worried herself about a gift. Having her in my life was more than enough. I didn't need a material thing to make it better. I already had so much more than I'd ever dreamed I'd have. I was going to be her husband._How__ incredible was that?_

Tank came forward and slapped me on the back. "The car's a beaut. Let's see how fast she'll go. We need to get you to a wedding! Don't want Bomber to think you're not showing."

Crossing quickly to the driver's side, I slid into the seat and fired the car up. Santos and Brown climbed into the back, while Tank rode shotgun. We roared out of the driveway, with Raphael following close behind in his new Spider. The rest of the family used several cars to get them all to the house.

When we arrived, everyone was ready. I glanced out onto the beach, and was pleased to see everything exactly like we'd discussed. I talked briefly to the officiant before he walked down to the beach, signaling he was ready to begin anytime.

Frank came forward, hand extended, Helen standing a short distance behind him. "We couldn't be more pleased with her choice. Make her happy, or you'll answer to me, son."

"Yes, sir," I said, returning his firm handshake.

Helen stepped towards me, and I bent and lightly kissed her cheek. "Her happiness is the most important thing," she said with a serious expression.

"And the easiest for me to grant. I love her, more than anything."

Helen nodded her head, then turned and took her husband's arm as they walked towards their seats on the beach.

Julie rushed forward, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Dad, Steph looks just perfect. Wait til you see her!"

"Cara, mi dios, you look incredible and so grown up! You make me proud."

"Aww, Dad, thank you."

"Just speaking the truth," I told her.

Isabella walked up, giving me a hug and grabbing Julie's hand. "C'mon, kiddo, let him go to Stephanie now." She pulled Julie towards the door. "We'll wait for you both on the deck."

Nodding, I took a deep breath and bounded up the stairs to claim my bride.

**TBC**

The final chapter is about 2/3rds done and on schedule for posting July 19th! Please review, the encouragement will most likely result in a more detailed description of the honeymoon! I aim to please, after all. Hee, hee!


	34. Introducing Mr & Mrs Carlos Manoso

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Chapter 34-Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Manoso

Disclaimer: One last time, they're hers unless they're mine! Nor do I own the lyrics to the song, _When you say nothing at all._

Author's notes: This chapter is dedicated to my best friend, lover and soul mate, Scott. Thirteen years ago today, I was his bride. Our journey has been filled with more good times than bad. There's no one I'd rather have by my side. Marriage is the highest state of friendship! I love you, Sweet P!

I've been blest in many ways during this story. I've enjoyed all the reviews, PMs, plot-player responses and emails with all of you and have made several new friends. I've been blown away by the response to this story, I'm truly humbled. Thank you so much!

Thanks to the plot-players this week, with an overwhelming response to 1st person POVs. The information has been stored and I'll be heeding your advice. Thank you!: forever babe, jazdia, Sophiepicklegirl, LeiaB, babe4ever52, AmandaBabe, Lu2read, bitte-d'amour, glynnall, ty93, bgrgrmpy, Dikent, Barb4psu.

Isabella, how do I ever thank you enough? Thanks for your support, friendship and all the endless hours you've spent putting together the beautiful album to accompany this chapter! You deserve a little Raphael lovin', right? LOL. Really, my heartfelt thanks!

To Cara, you've had to balance the roles of critic, cheerleader and friend…not an easy job! Thanks for always being there! Love you.

This story started with a stranger as my Beta. I'd read her work on FF and loved it, but I didn't 'know' her. I can tell you, I was more than a little nervous to be working with her. But now, as this story completes, I couldn't be more honored to have her with me through it all. She's proven herself to be a SuperBeta, a good person and most of all a friend. Thank you for sharing your talent and the journey with me, Jenny. Love you, Babe!

**RPOV**

I stood stock still in the doorway of our bedroom when I saw her, and took in every square inch of my beautiful bride. Her hair was gathered up on the sides and mounded in a pile of curls at the crown of her head. The rest of her curls cascaded down, falling softly at her shoulders.

Most of her back was bare, with thin straps of material woven to hold the dress together. I leaned against the door jam as she absently rubbed at her neck. I knew she was aware of my presence; we'd always been able to sense one another. Stephanie turned towards me, and her face creased into a huge smile. She raised her hand and gave me her signature finger wave.

Straightening from my position, I slowly walked towards her. "Babe," I breathed, unable to find any more words to describe all the myriad of emotions that were racing through me.

Her eyes swam with unshed tears, making them seem an even deeper, more brilliant blue. "Carlos," she whispered as she reached out and clasped my hand tightly in hers.

In that moment, with her touch, everything in me calmed and centered. The feeling of clarity settled over me like a warm blanket on a cold night. My future, my dreams, my happiness all began at this moment, with this woman.

I pulled her into my embrace and held her close, her head resting directly above my heart. We took several long minutes to enjoy the comfort of one another. As we pulled back, I reach out, and with my thumb, tipped her head up slightly so that I could look into her eyes.

"Stephanie, you've never looked more beautiful."

"Thank you," she whispered. "You don't look too bad yourself, Batman."

Her finger traced my eyebrow, then traveled down my face to outline my lips with a gentle touch. I kissed her fingertip.

"We're going to do this," I said, the statement reminiscent of our first night together.

Stephanie laughed softly. "Oh yeah, and it's going to be good! Perfect, actually."

Dropping a kiss to the top of her head, I grabbed her hand, and she picked up her flowers as we walked out the door of our bedroom.

With our hands still clasped together, we went straight to the deck and met our wedding party. Tank signaled the officiant that we were ready to begin. He asked everyone to rise, and we all made our way down the beach, with Raphael and Julie going first, Tank and Isabella next, and Stephanie and me bringing up the end.

We walked down the aisle, lined with scattered rose petals and the sand warm under our feet. We came to a stop, under the pavilion built for the ceremony, directly in front of the officiant. He motioned for the guests to be seated as he began the ceremony.

"On behalf of Carlos and Stephanie, I'd like to welcome all of you to this very special day in their lives. They have chosen today as the first day of their journey through life as husband and wife."

The officiant's voice was just loud enough to be heard over the gentle breeze and the steady crash of the waves. He continued to speak about love and commitment, and the seriousness of the vows we were about to make. Then he asked us to face one another with both of our hands clasped together in front of us.

Stephanie passed her bouquet to Isabella before joining her hands with mine.

"Carlos, you may now make your vow to Stephanie."

I took a deep breath and looked directly into her beautiful face. She and I were the only two people standing on this beach at this moment. All I saw was her as I began my vow in a strong, quiet voice.

"Stephanie, you are my best friend. Today, I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage you, to laugh with you, to comfort you in times of sorrow, and love you in good times and bad. I promise to cherish and respect you. I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live. I will always be the person that you can trust, talk to, and the person that will always understand. With me, you will always be able to fly.

"Because of you, I laugh, I smile, and I dare to dream of the future and the great things it holds for us. You've brought light into the darkness that was my life before I met you. Te amo, Babe."

I turned to Tank; he placed Stephanie's wedding band into my open palm. When I faced her again, a single tear was trailing down her left cheek. Without conscious thought, I used my thumb to wipe it away. She smiled just for me, and I smiled softly back at her.

As I slid the ring on her left hand, I spoke the last of my vow, "Take this ring as a sign of my faith, love, and commitment to you. Let our journey begin."

Stephanie's eyes held steady on mine as she began to speak her vows. Her voice was soft and quivering a bit with emotion.

"Carlos, you are my best friend. Today, I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage you, to laugh with you, to comfort you in times of sorrow, and love you in good times and bad. I promise to cherish and respect you. I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live. I will always be the person that you can trust, talk to, and the person that will always understand."

She paused for just a moment, and flashed me a shy smile before continuing her vow in fluent Spanish.

"Miro adelante a pasar el resto de mi vida con usted. Su amor me ha dado las alas, permitiendo que vuele. Te amo, Batman."

("I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. Your love has given me wings, allowing me to fly. I love you, Batman.")

Isabella handed Stephanie the platinum wedding band that we'd picked out together. The memory of her surprise that I'd agreed to wear a wedding ring caused me to smile, which was good, because I was close to having a tear escape from the corner of my eye. Hearing her vow spoken partially in Spanish had been powerful, and it was hard to hold the emotion in check.

Stephanie held my left hand and slid the ring onto my finger. "Take this ring as a sign of my faith, love, and commitment to you. Let our journey begin."

"Congratulations," the officiant whispered, before raising his voice to address everyone else. "By the power vested in me by the state of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife." With a big smile on his face, he said, "Carlos, you may kiss your bride."

I cupped Stephanie's face between my hands, and she rested her hands on my chest as I guided my lips to hers. The kiss started out soft and gentle, then erupted with passion as we melded into each other. The sound of applause penetrated my lust-clouded mind. I reluctantly pulled my mouth away, resting my forehead briefly against hers.

The officiant cleared his throat, then announced, "It's my pleasure to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Manoso."

The applause grew louder, and the guests rose from their seats. Tank shook my hand, then gave me a one-shoulder, manly hug, thumping me firmly on the back. Then it was Raphael's turn. He slung his arm over my shoulders as we turned and saw Isabella and Stephanie sharing an embrace.

"You could be next," I taunted as I watched him staring at Isabella.

"Slow down, bro. One Manoso married at a time. Don't want to give Mama a heart attack!"

"Yeah, both of her boys married within the same year. She'd feel like all her prayers had been answered."

Raphael gave a smirk. "Not all of them. She's going to want more grandbabies."

"You can go first on that one. I want a little time with my wife before we add to our numbers."

The girls turned around and walked over to join us. "I'm going to get a minute with her first!" Raphael said as he swept Stephanie up into his arms, only to have Tank wrestle her from his clutches.

Julie launched herself at me, and I caught her mid-air. She laughed and kissed me soundly on the cheek. "You're married!" she exclaimed. "How does it feel?"

"It feels great, Carina." I kissed her nose and set her on her feet.

Isabella stepped up to me then. I opened my arms, and she wrapped hers around my waist. "Congratulations, Carlos. You're a lucky man."

"I am. Thank you for all your help and everything you've done for Stephanie."

"It's no problem. I've enjoyed it," she replied as the rest of the guests came forward.

We spent the next several minutes being congratulated by our guests, Stephanie by my side the entire time. It was my plan to keep her as close as possible all day.

"Damn, Batman, you look _fine_," Lula purred. She crushed her body against mine in a hug.

_How long until I could sweep my wife away to our honeymoon?_

**SPOV**

I bit back a laugh when I saw my husband, _God, I like the sound of that,_ cringe at Lula's description. Honestly, they were used to seeing him wearing the signature all black from his 'Ranger' persona of Trenton. Here in Miami, the only time he wore all black was during working hours, and sometimes not even then. The tan linen suit, white shirt, and bare feet were a bit of a shock to them, but to me, he looked absolutely edible. I licked my lips in appreciation.

"Babe, I can be dessert…later, when we're alone."

The visual that his words brought to mind had my pulse kicking up several beats. I began to wonder how soon we could leave without seeming too rude. _Like ten minutes? Hmm._

The photographer gathered the entire wedding party together and took several shots, including one of Tank, Raphael, Lester, and Bobby holding me sideways in their arms while Carlos glared. That pose had caused everyone to laugh, including my husband.

The guys were handsome in their tan pants and flowing white shirts. Tank didn't look near as intimidating in these lighter colors as he did when he wore all black. And the turquoise of the girls' dresses complimented both their skin tones beautifully.

Carlos and I posed together for several pictures. Some of the shots were romantic, others classic, and some were fun. One of my favorites was sure to be Carlos carrying me away down the beach, my head resting on his shoulder. It would be great to see them all assembled; our wedding album would be a good blend of all the styles and people.

The photographer took one final shot of everyone in attendance, with us posed in the front of the group and the ocean in the background.

The beast growled loudly as the last picture was taken. Thankfully, only Carlos heard it, and he gave a chuckle. He offered me his crooked elbow. I threaded my hand through it, and he escorted me to the head table.

Pops of champagne corks exploded through the air. Glasses were filled, and Tank rose to give the Best Man speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I've known Ranger, Carlos, for nearly fifteen years now. During that time, we've served our country together and worked alongside one another at RangeMan. Throughout the years, he has proven himself to be not only a great friend, but a truly good man as well. I value my friendship with him.

"Stephanie, you're like the little sister I never had, and I'd do just about anything for you. I know one very important thing about Stephanie. She has made Ranger happier then I have ever seen him.

"Today is a day of joy and happiness for all of us. But it is not just a day... It's the very special beginning of a new life between Carlos and Stephanie. I wish you both health and happiness, and a long life together!"

Glasses clinked together while Tank leaned down and gave me a kiss on my cheek and shook Carlos' hand, slapping him on the back before returning to his seat. I was more than a little surprised at the length and depth of feeling in his toast. I was touched, and I could tell Carlos was, too.

Next, Isabella stood up and raised her glass. She began to speak in a soft tone.

"I've heard that when two people get married, their nuptials have a positive effect on the people around them. Like someone dropping a pebble into still water, your love sends out ripples of happiness to everyone around you.

"It brings joy to those who have already said 'I do,' as they fondly remember their wedding day. It brings hope to those who are still searching for that special someone, or couples that anticipate building a life together. And it shows young children what they have to look forward to when they grow up.

"Two people brought together by the bonds of love and united in marriage are a powerful force.

"May your love remain strong to sustain you during times of struggle, and enrich the good times you will share together. May it continue to send those ripples of happiness to everyone around you.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a toast: To friends, lovers, and soul mates. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Manoso!"

Isabella gave us each a hug and blew out a breath of relief, glad to have her moment in the spotlight over. Raphael pulled her into an embrace and whispered just loud enough for us to hear, "Proud of you, kitten."

I nudged my husband. "He's stealing your line."

"Babe, you're more tiger than kitten."

"That wasn't what I was referring to," I said, rolling my eyes.

He gave me a mischievous little grin that said we both knew exactly what he was talking about.

Then the luncheon was served. I noticed Carlos paying particular attention to my alcohol intake, and when I questioned him about it, he smiled and said, "I want you awake, conscious, and completely focused on the consummation of our marriage later."

With that, my focus shifted to _one_ thing! I pushed my wine glass away, laid my fork down, and announced I was done eating, all in an effort to move things along quickly.

Carlos chuckled, stood, and helped me out of my chair. His hand rested gently at the small of my back as he guided me to the dance floor. The band had been playing softly in the background during the meal. The beautiful, dark-haired lead singer announced our first dance as husband and wife.

We walked to the center of the small dance floor set up in the sand, as the first strands of the song we'd chosen came to life.

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my __heart.__  
Without saying a __word, you__ can light up the __dark._

This song spoke of us each in a different way. Carlos had told me often how dark his life was before me. He's never been one to use many words; yet, he's always made me feel important, special, and talked right to my heart, sometimes with just a look.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need __me.__  
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave __me.__  
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I __fall.__  
You say it __best, when__ you say__ nothing at all._

Carlos pulled me closer, our bodies moving effortlessly together in time with the music. As the song ended, applause erupted, and Carlos kissed me deeply, bending me back over his arm in a dip, while whistles and encouragements were called out from various people.

It was several songs later before I danced with my groom again. My dad, Tank, Raphael, and Ricardo each took a turn dancing with me to slow songs, while Lester and Bobby picked songs with a little more beat to them. I laughed and enjoyed myself so much I forgot, for a short time, what a big hurry I was in to get on our honeymoon.

During the course of all my dancing, Carlos was kept busy, too. He danced with Julie, Maria, Isabella, and my mom. He chose one of the faster songs to dance with Val and Connie. I noticed with some amusement he'd managed to avoid dancing with Lula and Grandma so far. _Wonder how long that would last?_

I sat down and took a breather at one of the tables along the dance floor where Rachel was sitting. I'm sure having your new husband's ex-wife in attendance would be strange or a little uncomfortable for some brides, but not for me. Rachel and I were good friends, and she and Carlos had maintained a friendship as well. Julie was one of the lucky kids who didn't have to watch her parents be pitted against one another and be trapped in the middle. It worked well, and everyone involved benefited from it.

Rachel asked if I had any idea where we were going or what we were doing for our honeymoon.

"No. It's as bad as it was during the New Year's trip. I don't know a dang thing!"

She laughed, enjoying seeing me so flustered, and remarked again how much Carlos had changed since he'd met me.

Carlos joined us a short time later. He smiled at Rachel, made a little small talk with her, and then asked me if I was ready to cut the cake.

_Hell__, __yeah!_

We walked to the table that held the beautiful three-tiered cake decorated shells formed from icing. The inside was chocolate with fresh strawberries separately the layers. It looked absolutely delicious! We picked up the knife together, slicing off a big chunk of the cake, then divided it into two pieces.

Julie stood to the side of us, her voice filled with laughter as she asked, "Are you going to be nice, Steph, or are you going to shove it up Dad's nose?"

I bit my lower lip and considered my options. _What to do, what to do?_

Carlos leaned in close to me. "Paybacks, Babe."

Considering _exactly_ what my punishment might be, I weighed my decision carefully. Maybe I _wanted_ his form of _payback._

With a cocked eyebrow, he gently placed his piece of cake to my lips. _He's playing __nice. You__ should__, too._ Honestly, that was the plan._I__ swear!_

But just as I guided my piece of cake to his mouth, a bee flew past my head, obviously attracted to the sweetness of the cake as much as I was, and I jerked in response, batting at it with my free hand. The last thing I needed was to be stung on my wedding day. Geez, if I had a reaction, we'd end up spending some time at the ER, and I did_not_ want to do that! We had a honeymoon to get to!

Unfortunately, I was more focused on avoiding the bee than what I was doing with my other hand. When I heard the collective gasp from the people gathered around, I whipped my head up to see my husband's face, covered in icing.

It was hanging from his nose and his chin, and a big piece of strawberry had fallen onto his jacket. _Oh, shit!_ Maybe I got his good karma, and he got my bad when my name changed?

"Carlos, my God, I'm so sorry!" I quickly grabbed some napkins from the table and began cleaning him up. "It was the bee. Did you see it?"

He was trying for a stern expression, but it wasn't reaching his eyes, and I could tell he was fighting back the urge to laugh.

"That's your story, Babe?"

_Gulp._ I nodded my head and pleaded for mercy with my eyes. Carlos wiped all the icing from his face with a napkin, then reached out and swiped a finger-full of icing from the cake. He smeared it all around over my lips, then I sucked his finger into my mouth. After he pulled his finger out, I ran my tongue around my lips to get the remaining icing, and noticed his eyes had darkened several shades and desire had leapt into their depths. _Maybe distraction would work?_ I was pretty good at that.

"You can try distracting me, Stephanie, I won't complain, but I've already decided what I'll be doing to _get even._" His sexy whisper had my nipples tightening in response. Carlos finished with, "I'm going to make sure some of this cake goes with us on our honeymoon."

_Oh, boy!_ _Looks like I'm going to get my cake and eat it, too!_ In more ways than one way.

Carlos stripped out of his jacket, and Ella took it from him, saying she was going to go take care of the stain before it set. We both thanked her before she hurried away into the house. Carlos unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his shirt and rolled up his sleeves. He instantly looked more comfortable, and a whole lot sexier! I _might_ have moaned.

At his chuckle, I knew I had. "How about a couple more dances, then we can leave?"

I nodded in agreement. "The sooner, the better, husband."

As we danced, I looked around, scanning the crowd, searching for Isabella. I couldn't find her or Raphael. Carlos noticed my glances, and asked who I was looking for.

"Isabella and Raphael. They're both missing. Maybe we should check all the bedrooms? They haven't been able to keep their hands off one another all day."

"We can check out our bedroom, Babe." He cocked his eyebrow. "But we won't be looking for them if we do."

_No shit! _We were already about to spontaneously combust. Add a bed to the mix, and it was all over!

"Besides, I know where they are. They're helping me with your wedding gift."

"You already gave me this beautiful necklace." I traced my fingers over the diamonds. "Thank you. I love it."

"I got you a _little_ something more."

I rolled my eyes. Since he hadn't had a spending limit like he had on Valentine's, who knew what else he had in store?

"By the way, I can't believe there hasn't been a moment for me to thank you for the car. Very clever."

"You like it?"

"I love it! Eleanor's already safely tucked in our garage here. It drives like a dream, Babe. Thank you!"

Carlos kissed me tenderly. I grabbed the fabric of his shirt and hauled his body closer to mine. He didn't need any further encouragement as he deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue inside my mouth. Our tongues tangled together, promising even better things to come later.

We left the dance floor and mingled for awhile with our guests. Making a stop at the table Tank and Susan were sitting at, we saw them talking with an attractive fair-skinned, red-headed young girl with her hair French braided. She was sitting on Tank's lap when we sat down.

"Hi," she greeted us. "You look very pretty today. I can't wait to be a bride!"

Susan laughed. "I can, young lady. You're only six years old!"

"Yes, Mommy, but you say I'm growing up fast, so it won't be long."

"You are, darling, you are," Susan comforted, running a hand down her daughter's back.

Tank gave a little smile. "This is Clare, Susan's daughter."

Carlos and I each said hello to her, and when she smiled, little dimples peeked out on both her cheeks. "T's going to move into our house with us! He's going to be my daddy, cause I don't have one," Clare told us matter of factly.

That little bit of news was a surprise, to all of us, apparently.

Susan leaned over to her. "Clare, where did you get an idea like that?"

"Because I love him, Mommy, and he's over all the time. I think he should just live with us. It would be a lot nicer!"

Tank looked at Susan in a loving way, but remained silent. They practiced a few seconds of unspoken conversation, before Susan reached out, and he clasped her small hand in his large one.

"We'll talk about this when we get home, young lady," Susan said in a stern tone, but from the smiles on both Susan's and Tank's faces, I think little Clare had already won. She was about to get a daddy.

We spent a few more minutes talking to them. I missed having Tank around in our every day lives, and I knew Carlos did, too. Out of all the people from our lives back in Trenton, he was the hardest to not see and talk to daily.

I was getting more than a little anxious to leave. The kiss we'd shared earlier had my hormones warming up for the Hallelujah Chorus they planned on singing very soon. I leaned over to my husband to drop a hint.

"Batman, how about flying away? Don't we have a honeymoon we're late for?"

"We're not flying, Babe." He dropped a quick kiss to my lips. "At least, not literally."

_Okay, that was a surprise._

"Driving?" I questioned.

He shook his head.

I huffed out a breath, tapped my foot in impatience, and glanced out to the ocean. There was a huge, and I mean _huge_, yacht anchoring just a short distance from the shore.

"Well, that's rude. Can't that guy see we're having a reception here on the beach? He's pulled up a little close."

Carlos didn't respond, and then I saw a flash of turquoise from a smaller boat idling directly behind the yacht, near the platform, at water level. _Oh my God, that's Isabella!_

I watched as Raphael leapt from the yacht into the boat Isabella was driving. She pointed the boat directly towards us, slowing and then killing the engine when the nose of the boat beached in the sand.

Raphael rolled up his pant legs, stepped over the edge and into the water, then turned back to the boat, lifting Isabella into his arms. He carried her the short distance to the sand before placing her on her feet.

I turned back to find my husband smiling broadly. "We're taking that, Babe. It's your wedding gift."

"_That?"_ I gaped at the yacht. "Geez, louise, it's, umm, wow! It's really big and looks expensive. Very expensive."

"No price between us. No limit on the wedding gift, remember?" He smoothed his knuckles down the side of my face. "Eleanor didn't come cheap, either, Stephanie," he reminded me.

"Yeah, but…"

He placed his finger to my lips and stopped any further protest. "Are you ready to leave, Mrs. Manoso?"

I nodded my head vigorously. "If you're trying to distract me, Mr. Manoso, it's working. Of course, I'd agree to run five miles to get to our honeymoon at this point. It's been a long thirty days."

Carlos smiled at me and quietly agreed, pulling me close to his body. "It's going to be worth it, I promise."

That sent a jolt of lust straight south through me. I could almost hear my doodah chanting, "Tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc!"

We slowly made our way through the guests, saying good-bye, and were teased several times about leaving so soon. Especially by Carlos' family.

Ricardo and Maria Manoso stood near the end of the line of people that had formed when the band announced the bride and groom were getting ready to leave.

Maria pulled me into a warm hug as Ricardo grabbed Carlos. "Stephanie, thank you for making my son so happy. You make a beautiful couple. Enjoy your honeymoon. It's a very special time in your married life."

"We will. When we get back, we'll get together."

"I'd like that. It'll be wonderful to hear what all you've done. Carlos wouldn't tell me about any of your plans." She gave a mild look of frustration at her son.

"That makes two of us, Maria."

The same deep, dark chocolate colored eyes that she had passed to all her children flashed back to me and held a pleading look in them. "Would it be too much or too soon to ask you to call me Mama? I already consider you my daughter."

The happy tears were back, and Carlos squeezed my hand in a silent effort of support. Even though he was talking to his dad, he was still very much in tune with me.

"Quisiera eso, mama," ("I'd like that, Mama,") I told her, switching to Spanish as I made the statement.

Tears slid down her face, and Ricardo bent and kissed the top of her head before pulling me into his embrace. "Y usted puede llamarme, papá," ("And you may call me, Papa,") he said as he lifted me off my feet.

I laughed and hugged him tightly while Carlos kissed his mother and told her good-bye. We spoke a few more words to them, all in Spanish, _Yay__me, I held my own during the short conversation, _before moving on to say good-bye to my family.

Isabella came forward and told us she was going to run up to the house to have some of our wedding cake boxed up to take with us on our honeymoon, since Carlos had insisted, and that she'd be right back. She darted towards the house quickly.

Daddy gave me a hug as Mom asked about the yacht.

"It's my wedding gift to Stephanie," Carlos stated.

"My goodness," Mom exclaimed. "It's awfully big."

"It's a seventy-five footer. We'll be spending a lot of time on it, plus there's plenty of room to take family and friends on trips with us and everyone have enough space."

"I'll go grab my bag, Hot Stuff," Grandma teased. "I'm ready to go now."

Carlos shook his head and only shuddered slightly. "Sorry, not this time, Edna. I want Stephanie all to myself this trip."

Grandma whispered, "You're one lucky girl!"

We finished our good-byes with them, promising to call when we could, and come to Trenton for a couple of days after we got home.

The last person, and among the hardest, to say good-bye to was Julie. She'd become an important parts of our lives. She visited regularly, and one of us talked on the phone with her nearly every day. Tears were already trailing down her cheeks.

Carlos picked up and held her, while I smoothed her back. "Carina, it's okay. We're going to miss you, too. We'll call often, and email even more. When we get back, you can come stay for a few days, all right?"

Julie nodded her head and gave him one last squeeze before he set her back on her feet, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Then, she turned to me. My tears were back again, though these weren't as happy as they'd been all day.

As she hugged me tight, she said, "I'm going to miss you both so much. You have to tell me _everything_ that you do on your trip. Okay?"

I started to tell her I would, but my eyes shot up to my husband before the words completely left my mouth, and he quirked an eyebrow. Well, maybe not _everything!_ So I corrected myself by saying, "I'll tell you everywhere we visit and try to bring you something from each place. How's that?"

"That'll work. And don't forget to call!"

We promised we would, gave her one last kiss and turned to leave.

Raphael was standing near the boat waiting for us, and as we were walking towards it, Grandma called out, "Hey, aren't you going to toss the bouquet? Give the rest of us single ladies a chance!"

I looked back and saw several of the single women gathered in a small group. Connie, Lula, Susan, Julie, and Grandma were along the front row. I shrugged, turned my back to them, and tossed my bouquet over my right shoulder. I swung back around to see who was going to catch it.

Just as it reached head level, Isabella raced in front of the group, carrying a small box of cake, and reached out with her free hand to snag the bouquet before anyone else could get it.

A look of surprise creased her face when she realized what had just happened. She smiled and looked over to where Raphael stood.

The sound of Carlos' laughter rang out, and I heard him say to Raphael, "You gonna tell Mama or should I?"

Raphael muttered something in Spanish that I didn't quite catch. Carlos laughed again, then picked me up and began carrying me to the boat with the guest cheered him on! Raphael deposited Isabella on the seat to my left, and then went to start the boat.

Carlos and I sat together on the seat, and turned back to wave at all the people standing on the beach as the boat headed out to meet the yacht.

We made a big circle around the ship before pulling to the back water-level platform. It was then that I looked up and saw the name of the boat. _Our__ Someday._

Tears sprang to my eyes again. "Aww, Carlos," I half sobbed.

"Do you like it, Babe?"

"I love it! It's perfect."

Raphael handed me a bottle of champagne with a big white bow tied around the neck. "Okay, then, you get to christen it."

Laughing, I grabbed the champagne, and with Carlos' hand over mine, we broke the bottle directly above the name. Isabella flashed several pictures from her camera to mark the event.

Carlos swept me up into his arms and carried me on board the rest of the way. Raphael crossed to the table, where four wine glasses sat, and a bucket of ice chilled another bottle of champagne. He popped the cork on the bottle, and Carlos caught it mid-air, then put it in the pocket of his pants. Raphael filled the glasses, giving one to each of us. Raising his, he proposed a toast.

"May your life together be smooth sailing!"

We each took a sip of the delicious wine. The guys went to ready the yacht for our departure, leaving Isabella and me alone on the back deck.

I looked closely at her, and noticed she was practically glowing. "You look awful happy."

"I am. I told Raphael I love him! He loves me, too!"

"When did this happen?"

"Back at his house earlier, when we went to pick up Carlos' bag. It just sort of came out unexpectedly."

"That's great! I'm so happy for you both."

Isabella smiled, then bit at her lower lip. "I'm staying at his house tonight. We don't want to be apart, now that we've finally said the words."

Both of my eyebrows shot up on my face. "Are you, ya know, going to change your decision?"

Her face washed with color. "We'll see what happens. I don't know if I'm strong enough to say no to him tonight, even if he wants me to wait."

"Yeah, no isn't going to be in my vocabulary for at least the next month. We've got a lot of time to make up for!"

Isabella gave a little laugh and reminded me, "It's been at least six months since Raphael has had sex, and me, well, it's been forever. My entire life!"

We both laughed as the guys came down the steps mid-ship. Looking at them together, you couldn't help but notice the way they oozed masculinity, raw male power, and the promise that a woman wouldn't walk away from them unsatisfied. I could testify first hand to Carlos' ability, and from what I've heard about Raphael from some of his past conquests, the same could be said of him.

As I studied the face of my husband closely, I could tell his control was reaching an end. The look he gave me confirmed it. His eyes said he wanted to strip off my clothes and take me right here and now. I was all for that plan! Well, after Raphael and Isabella left, that is, and maybe after we pulled away from the beach and our guests some.

Briefly, my gaze shifted to Raphael's face, and he wore a very similar expression to Carlos, only it was directed at Isabella.

I mumbled under my breath, "You're going to have your hands full. I know that look from Carlos. Rafe's control is bubbling at the edge."

We didn't get a chance to talk anymore, as each of our men claimed us in an embrace. Raphael placed a light kiss on Isabella's lips and asked if she was ready to go. She smiled up at him, then nodded her head.

We gave each of them a hug. Isabella said if I didn't have time to call, to just drop her an email occasionally, and that as soon as we got back, we'd get together. I got a kiss from my brother-in-law and a waggle of his eyebrows. As he stepped into the boat, he called back, "Have _fun!_ There's a deck of cards in the living room if you guys get bored and can't figure out what to do."

I rolled my eyes, and Carlos shook his head. They waved, smiles stretching across their faces. Isabella wrapped her arms around Raphael from behind as they roared way from us, back towards the beach.

"You want to look around first, or move out into open water?"

"I'm ready to leave. We can explore the boat together a little later, right?"

Carlos swept my hair to the side and lowered his lips to my neck. He kissed and nipped playfully at the sensitive spot right below my ear.

"No worries, dear wife, we're going to be very intimately acquainted with nearly every square inch of this boat. All the flat surfaces, and several of the vertical ones."

I moaned and felt my doodah get even wetter in anticipation of his promise. No doubt about it, I was one lucky woman!

**RPOV**

Stephanie,_my wife__,_began unbuttoning my shirt, and when she had it undone, she ran her hands along the skin of my chest. She traced a circle around one nipple with her fingernail, then I captured her lips in a bruising kiss.

Now that we were alone, I was dangerously close to losing the grip on my control. I wanted to consummate our marriage, rest for about ten minutes, then begin making up for all the abstinence during the thirty-day deal. And that wasn't happening while our guests watched from the beach. I needed to get us out in open water, drop the anchor, and give my full attention to my lovely wife.

I grabbed her hand and led her to the stairs, then up to the outside helm of the boat. She ooh'd and aww'd as she noticed some of the features that had attracted me to this particular yacht.

As I started the engines and checked the controls, she stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "There are a lot of flat surfaces on this boat."

Smiling, I cocked an eyebrow. "And you've only seen one full deck. There are two more to go."

Stephanie shivered, and though it wasn't from the cold, I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her close to my body.

Reaching one hand out, I flipped a switch to pull up the anchors, then returned my hand to her waist while I waited for it finish. When the light flicked off on the console, I showed her the button for the horns. She pressed it, and the noise caused everyone on the beach to look out at us.

We waved back at all our family and friends, then I turned the wheel to the right, added power to the throttle, and we headed out into open water with Stephanie standing in front of me, my arms reaching around her to steer.

As the wind picked up, her hair blew into my face. I placed her hands on the wheel and whispered for her to stay the course. My fingers trailed up her neck and into her hair, searching for the pins buried in her curls. Slowly, I removed each one and placed them in a cup holder to my right. When I'd freed her hair from its restraints, I lightly massaged her scalp.

Stephanie tipped her head back and rested it on my shoulder as she let out a long, satisfied sound. _I was only just beginning._ Bringing pleasure to her was as gratifying as my own.

"Watch for other boats, Babe," I cautioned her. "I'm going to be distracted for a few minutes."

She lifted her head from my shoulder and checked our surroundings, while I ran my hands down her side, then dropped to my knees. I inched the material of her dress up her legs, kissing her calves and the back of her knee, which caused her to jerk defensively.

"Easy," I purred.

"That tickles, and you know it!"

I did know that, but it didn't stop me from doing it some more before traveling up the back of her thighs. I lifted the dress over her ass and groaned at the sight. She was wearing a tiny, white, lacy thong with a silver heart dangling right at the v of her ass. I fingered the little metal. "Cute," I said softly.

"I thought you'd like that," she replied, then yelped as I bit softly on her ass cheek.

Running my finger under her panties, I traced along the outside edge, crossing around to the front and whispering my fingers along her slit. She gasped, the soft sound making me even harder than I already was. She was damp, and I took a deep breath as the scent of her arousal reached me.

_Fuck,_ I needed to change positions, or we'd be on the floor with me buried inside her momentarily, and that was _not_ how I wanted to consummate this marriage! I brought my head away from her body and dropped the material of the dress. It rustled back down into place. I began kissing my way up her back, licking under the thin straps that were woven across until I reached her neck.

Stephanie had a white knuckled grip on the wheel, her arms rigid as she stared straight ahead, eyes darting to the side to check for other ships. I glanced at the monitor and decided we were far enough out. Time to drop anchor and go below. I wanted to get my wife naked and in bed, where I planned to keep her for the rest of the day.

I throttled down the engines until we came to a stop, then switched them to the idle setting. At the sound of the anchors being dropped, Stephanie murmured, "Thank God, the wait's almost over!"

That caused me to smile, and I sent up a prayer of thanks as well. It _had_ been a long thirty days!

After making one last check that everything was secure with the ship, I swept my bride up into my arms and carried her down the stairs. Stopping at the back deck to grab the box of our wedding cake from the counter where Isabella had placed it, I handed it to Stephanie. She paused briefly from kissing any place she could reach on me to get ahold on the box. I plucked the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket, then headed straight for the master bedroom below.

Stephanie tried to pay attention to the rooms that passed while we walked through, but she seemed to be more focused on driving me insane with her lips and teeth.

Finally, we arrived in the bedroom. I dropped my right arm and allowed her feet to fall to the floor right next to the bed. She sat the box of cake down on the bedside table, and smiled when she saw our black box.

I was dumbfounded when she gave me the one minute sign, then walked over to the couch where her overnight bag sat. She unzipped it and extracted two items from inside. Her face held a mischievous smile as she came back to stand in front of me. Stephanie held up the items for my inspection.

"A couple of things from my bachlorette party to add to our black box."

Quirking an eyebrow, I looked at the items. She held up the first one. "It's a Japanese Silk Love Rope with a mask. Batman needs a mask, right?" she asked, wearing an adorable look of innocence on her face.

"Yeah, Babe. I guess he does," I responded, deciding to go along with her playful mood. The other item had me puzzled, so I asked, "A candle?"

"Not just any candle, dear husband. This one is called _Hot __Cakes_. I thought it was appropriate." She gave a little smile. "Anyway, it's made of a low-melting-point soy wax that, when in liquid form, can be dripped onto the skin and double as a warm massage oil."

I could see several possibilities for that one. I took both of them from her hands, opened the lid to the black box, and dropped them inside. "I don't think we need any of this stuff right now. That'll be for later," I said, closing the lid. "I only need you."

Sliding the strap of her dress off her shoulder, I stepped in close and pressed my lips to her skin. Stephanie arched her body into mine as she peeled my shirt off. Her fingers deftly unbuckled my belt, the button on my pants, and then slid the zipper down. She gave the material a shove at my hips, and as it fell to the floor, she reached out and wrapped her small hand around my straining erection. I sucked in a steadying breath.

"In a hurry, Babe?"

"You have no idea," she groaned.

As I pushed the material of her gown down, exposing her breasts, I adamantly disagreed. "Oh, I think I have a very good idea."

"Well, it has to be better than the stupid thirty-day deal idea."

That caused me to pause. With my thumb, I tipped her head up to look into my eyes. "Just because it was my idea doesn't mean it wasn't difficult for me. Dios, sometimes I wanted you so much, I couldn't think straight."

"I had plenty of those moments myself."

"I know you did, Stephanie. But being here with you, right now, and with the ache being almost unbearable, I'm not sorry we waited."

Stephanie blew out a small breath. "All joking aside, neither am I. In some ways, the last thirty days have been even harder than all the waiting we suffered before we became a couple."

"That's because of our commitment and all the wonderful memories we've already made together. Before, we only had that one night to remember, and I took away from that memory with all the stupid mistakes I made to get there and then the morning after stunt."

"Thank God you don't make a habit of making dumb mistakes," she teased. "Like, for instance, making me wait any longer for you!"

"Yes, that would be a serious mistake," I agreed. As I pushed her wedding dress the rest of the way off her body, it puddled at her feet. Then I snapped the lacy material of her thong, ripping it into two pieces.

"So much for keeping that pair as a memory."

"You still can," I said, wedging my thigh between her legs and guiding our bodies onto the bed behind her. "It'll remind you of how impatient I was to claim my bride."

Her chuckle turned into a long moan as I parted her folds with my finger and found her slick and ready. I slid one finger into her warm core, and she bucked against my hand.

"Oh God, Carlos, please, no more waiting," she begged.

Stephanie was right; we'd waited long enough. I covered her body with mine, resting most of my weight on my forearms. My cock found its target without any help from either of us, the tip pressed to her center and was already damp with her arousal.

I cupped her face in my hands and lowered my lips to hers for a kiss as I rocked my hips forward, pushing inside her velvety softness. Dios, being inside her was like a taste of heaven. I closed my eyes and savored the feeling. She was mine_, forever_.

Stephanie locked her legs around my waist, and her nails dug into the flesh of my forearms where she had a near painful grip, which I don't think she was even aware of. We were both focused on the powerful feeling of being joined together again after so long.

She seemed tighter than I remembered. I nuzzled my face into her neck, clenching my teeth together in an effort to gain some control. My cock pushed against her inner walls, forcing them to expand. I wanted to give her body more of a chance to accommodate my size, but she wasn't waiting.

_My impatient wife._ I loved her more than anything.

Fighting back the need to go fast and hard, I kept the pace slow and gentle, which wasn't going to last for long. I _might _have been a touch on the impatient side myself. I took long strokes in and out of her, while she twisted underneath me, urging me on with her hands, her legs pulling down at my waist and her mouth kissing on my neck. She threaded her fingers into my hair and whispered, "Te amo, marido." (I love you, husband.)

I began to speak words of love to her back in Spanish, thrilling as her eyes widened in understanding. This was going to be a whole new world for us to explore together. She'd worked hard on the lessons since January, and obviously was much more fluent than she'd let on. If I weren't so happy hearing the words falling effortlessly from her mouth, I might feel the need to 'punish' her for keeping secrets from me. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the black box. _Maybe I__would anyway!_

My orgasm was beginning to build; I could feel it gathering power. Stephanie's walls clenched tight around me as she flew over the edge for at least the third time since I'd plunged inside her. I reached down and circled her clit with my finger, which caused her to scream out my name as she flew over the edge again. Her release triggered mine, and as my balls tightened in preparation of release, I drove into her hard and fast, drawing out both of our pleasures.

When the last waves of completion smoothed out and I was able to catch my breath, I whispered, "I love you, Mrs. Manoso."

"I love you, too. I think our marriage is truly and irrevocably consummated. That was incredible!"

Still buried inside her, I rolled to my left, carrying her body with mine. Stephanie lay her head on my chest, and I twisted one of her curls around my finger.

"Give me about ten minutes, and I'll be ready again," I murmured. The thought must have been all my cock needed to hear, as I felt myself begin to harden.

"Or not that long," Stephanie replied with a giggle. She looked up at my face. "I never thought I'd be this happy. All my dreams, the fairy tales I read as a girl, none of them compare to this moment."

"I know. If it wasn't happening to us, I wouldn't believe it either."

"We're really _married!_" she exclaimed, dropping a kiss to my wedding band.

"We are, Babe, we really are. And our future, well, we can dare to dream anything. Together, we'll find a way to make it a reality."

_**The End!**_

Please go to my profile page to view an exceptional album created for this final chapter of Best Wishes by rangerslee, the 'real life' Isabella! She did a great job!

Leave a review with 'Best Wishes' for the happy couple and a smutty honeymoon epilogue will follow!

_Thanks for sharing this journey with me!~Angie_


	35. Forever

**Best Wishes**

By: amkp

Epilogue: _Forever_

**Disclaimer:** All of them are hers! I just twist them around into my little story.

**Author's notes:** Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, PM'd me, alerted and marked this story as their favorite! I'm humbled, truly.

My plot-players, every single one of you, thanks from the bottom of my heart!

To the real life Isabella, thank you for your friendship, your hospitality during our visit, the beautiful album to go with this story, for playing my secretary in researching places for this chapter and for your unwavering support! You rock, Babe!

To Cara, thanks for listening to me and always being there! Love ya, Babe!

To Jenny, SuperBeta, you've made this an easier journey for me and the readers. Your support and ideas have truly made this a better story. Thank you so very much! It's been a pleasure working with such a gifted and talented writer/Beta. You're the BEST!

_And now, the rest of the story_….

**SPOV**

I flopped onto the bed, spread-eagle, in exhaustion. Turning my head to the right, I looked at my husband. _Aww, my husband!_ He wore a satisfied expression and nothing else, except his wedding band. Even after numerous rounds of sex and nearly four hours of non-stop action, his body still caused my heart to stutter and drool to form.

With just my fingertip, I reached out and caressed an invisible line down his chest. Carlos closed his eyes, obviously enjoying the sensation. When my hand stopped, he picked it up and brought it to his lips for a tender kiss. I rolled to my side and snuggled next to him.

Carlos instantly wrapped his strong arms around me. "How are you doing, Mrs. Manoso?" His voice was deep, husky, and sexy as sin.

Sighing, I said, "I'm very good. I love the sound of my name."

"So do I, Babe," he replied, as he placed a kiss to the top of my head. "You hungry?"

"Always," I chuckled, running my hand down to stroke his partially erect cock.

Carlos sucked in a breath and gave a little laugh. "I meant for food, but if you'd like something else, that can be arranged."

In the next instant, I was on my back again, with my 'hungry' husband nibbling softly at my neck. Between kisses, my stomach growled, loudly. Carlos stilled. I could feel his lips curve up into a smile against the skin of my neck.

I lightly pinched his tight ass. "You're the one that brought up food. I was perfectly content to have more of my husband."

"I love to hear you call me that," he echoed my earlier statement.

Carlos lifted his head to look at me with his warm, molten-chocolate eyes. He pushed back the hair from my forehead, before placing a kiss there. We stared at each other for several long minutes, a feeling of peace, contentment, and most of all, happiness surrounding us.

"It's been a pretty great day so far, huh?"

He nodded his head. "How about we take a shower, then go topside for dinner and the sunset?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Carlos rolled to the side of the bed and bounded up, reaching his hand back to help me. I got to my feet and swayed a little. My legs, along with other areas, were sore from all our consummating activities.

"Babe?" Carlos pulled me to his body offering support and steadying me in his embrace.

I waved off his concern. "No problem, Batman. Just need to get my sea legs."

He scooped me up into his arms and carried me into the bathroom. The shower was tiny, barely big enough for two, but that didn't stop us from showering together. Honestly, I didn't want to spend a moment away from him today.

When we left the bathroom, I crossed to the closet and located my swimsuits. Carlos pulled on a pair of black shorts, then went into the bedroom to straighten the bedding. I selected my favorite white, string bikini, which had a long sarong that went with it.

As I walked past Carlos, I felt a sharp tug to my bikini top. The next thing I knew, the top was gone. Reflexively, I covered my bare breasts and turned to look at him. He was wearing a mischievous smile, my bikini top dangling from the fingers on his right hand.

"Umm, aren't we going topside?" I questioned with a hint of confusion.

"Yeah, Babe."

I scrunched up my face and extended my hand for the return of the bikini top. He slowly shook his head. I put my hands on my hips as I glared at him, waiting for an explanation. His smile got bigger.

"Remember our deal?"

_What deal? There'd been so many._ I thought back over the last few, and a smile spread across my face at the memories. We'd had some good times as a result of our 'compromising.'

Carlos' voice pulled me from the stroll down the very naughty path of Memory Lane. "First two days of our honeymoon, you go topless."

_Oh yeah, the deal during the remote fiasco._ "Well, since that resulted in our first big fight, I think the terms of the deal are null and void."

"Don't think so, Mrs. Manoso. A deal's a deal," he stated firmly.

"You expect me to go on deck without a top?" I exclaimed, and then added, hoping to trigger his 'mine' rational, "We aren't that far off the coast of Miami, remember? Somebody could see me."

His eyebrow arched. "Nice try, but you'll be fine. No one is going to see you except me. It's nearly sunset already."

And that was that. Apparently, I was going the next two days without the benefit of a top. Carlos grabbed my hand and led me out of the room, then up one level to the kitchen.

We stood shoulder to shoulder, considering the large assortment of items we had to choose from in the refrigerator that was packed to capacity.

"Wow!" I said as I looked everything over. "How long are we going to be gone again?"

Carlos reached in, pulling out a tray of California Rolls and a large bowl of salad. I grabbed a bottle of dressing from the door compartment, and we set everything on the counter.

My husband leaned into me, cupping one of my bare breasts with his left hand. He tweaked the nipple and kissed down the side of my neck, stopping briefly to answer my question.

"We have enough food on board for nearly two months."

"_Two months?"_

"Yeah, Babe, but the boat isn't self-sufficient for that long," he told me as he delivered one last kiss to my shoulder, before stepping back and grabbing us each a drink from the refrigerator.

We made our way to the upper deck, carrying our plates, as he explained, "Depending on what we decide to do, we'll at least need to make a couple of stops."

We sat next to each other, watching the sun slowly fall from the sky, bringing a close to our wedding day. Carlos picked up one of the pieces of sushi and placed it in my mouth, while I added a small amount of dressing to the salad. I picked up the fork and pierced several pieces of lettuce, before offering it to my husband.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going now that we're officially on our honeymoon?"

One corner of Carlos' mouth tipped up. "I don't have a specific plan."

"Carlos Manoso without a plan! What is the world coming to?"

"Babe."

_Translation__: Smartass._

I rolled my eyes and smiled broadly at him. "So you have no idea where we're going?"

"I have all sorts of ideas, Stephanie." His eyebrow cocked northward.

Before I could pull my hand back from smacking the middle of his chest, he'd seized it and brought it to his mouth. He kissed my palm, then rose from the table, crossing to a cabinet under the helm. He returned with a map, which he unfurled in front of us.

It showed the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with all the many islands represented.

"We're here." Carlos put his finger on a spot to mark the position we were currently anchored. "We can make San Juan without taking on fuel or needing to stop."

I looked over the map as we continued eating. I saw the names of places that, two years ago, I never thought I'd ever see; now they all lay as possibilities before me. The Virgin Islands had always interested me, so I leaned forward to get a better look.

"See something you like, Babe?" His voice was laced with amusement.

Taking my eyes from the map, I did a slow perusal of his bare chest, then lowered my eyes to his lap. "Uh huh."

That was all the invitation he needed; his lips crashed against mine, one hand buried into my curls and the other found my breast. I lost myself in the wave of lust that sprang to the surface, as all thought of where we'd be traveling flew from my mind. Our tongues tangled, teeth nipped softly, and our bodies moved closer to one another.

Carlos pulled back slightly, resting his forehead to mine. "We forgot dessert," he reminded me. "Be right back!"

He was off his seat in a flash, gathered our dirty dishes, and disappeared down the stairs. Carlos came back a few minutes later. He pulled me up from my seat and swept me up into his arms, bridal style. I rested my head on his shoulder.

When we arrived onto the next deck, I saw he'd laid a large beach blanket out on the wide bed-like area at the back of the boat. To one corner sat the box containing pieces of our wedding cake. He placed me in the center and crawled next to me, snagging the box as he moved.

Carlos undid my sarong and pulled it free from my body, before tossing it to the floor. Next, he hooked his fingers into my bikini bottom. I lifted my hips, and he slid the material down my legs. Carlos sat back on his heels, looking my body over like I was an all-you-could-eat buffet.

He opened the lid to the cake and selected a large piece, laying it on my stomach, before offering me his icing-covered finger. I sucked it into my mouth, watching his eyes darken as I swirled my tongue around his finger, making sure I'd gotten all the icing off.

"What islands do you want to stop at during our trip?" he asked as he reclaimed his finger.

"You want to talk about that now?"

"Just play along, okay?"

Nodding, I closed my eyes and thought about the map I'd just studied. "The Virgin Islands sound nice."

"St. John is a less touristy-type place. Let's go there," Carlos said. He took a strawberry slice from between one of the layers of the cake and placed it just above my left breast, then looked up at me. "Next?"

"Maybe the Dominican?"

"Sounds good." Another strawberry was added a little further below the previous one, almost on my nipple.

Beginning to sense a pattern, I smiled at him.

"How about Barbados?" he offered.

I purred my acceptance, and another strawberry was placed on my body; this time, to the left of my mound. A few more places were offered by each of us, and corresponding strawberries were placed to represent each one. By the end of the little game, I think Carlos was making up names of islands, just so he'd have more places to 'visit' on my body.

"Damn," he muttered, "I'm out of strawberries."

"I guess the honeymoon's over," I sighed dramatically.

His eyes tracked up to mine, met and held. The look alone was enough to send a tingle through my body. "Babe, it's barely gotten started, and while I don't have specific plans for our exact destinations, I have _all_ sorts of ideas about what I'm going to do to you."

_Oh, boy!_ Good thing we had nearly two months!

Carlos placed pieces of cake in a pattern between the strawberries. He offered me several bites as he worked. When he was done, he sat back again to inspect his 'map.'

"This is going to be a great trip," he said with enthusiasm.

I couldn't really see the map, afraid if I moved I'd wreck his masterpiece, so I just nodded my head in agreement.

"Close your eyes, Stephanie. Relax."

As soon as my eyes shuttered closed, I felt the warmth of Carlos' body next to mine. He leaned down, giving me a soft kiss, before his finger traced down my face to outline my lips. Then he took a slow journey to the first strawberry positioned right at the rise of my breast.

"Ahh, St. Lucia," he breathed and sucked the strawberry into his mouth. Carlos licked at the spot. "The Diamond Waterfalls are beautiful. The water sparkles like diamonds, hence the name. We'll find a secluded spot, where I'll have you screaming my name over the roar of the falls."

I shivered, arched my back to force my breast—particularly my nipple—closer to his mouth as I pictured the scene he described.

One of Carlos' hands cupped my breast and brought it to his lips. His tongue spent several long minutes laving the tightly formed nub. It was hard enough to cut diamonds!

When he was satisfied with his work there, he found the next strawberry, conveniently placed between my breasts.

"Barbados," he informed me. "You liked swimming with the dolphins, right?"

"Uh huh," I agreed, thinking back to our wonderful experience in Nassau.

His finger lightly pinched the nipple that had yet to receive attention while he spoke. "In Barbados, you can swim with the sea turtles…unless you'd rather go paragliding."

That caused my eyes to snap open. "Par…a…gliding?" I squeaked, remembering instantly the moment of pure terror I'd experienced when I'd fallen, or rather been pushed, from the plane during my first skydiving trip.

Carlos had a full-on smile creasing his face. "Maybe not," he observed with a laugh, before distracting me from the thought by flicking his tongue against my nipple as one of his very talented fingers found its way down my body to my clit.

I closed my eyes again and bit at my lip, as he continued to visit different 'locations' on my body.

He picked up a strawberry with the hand that wasn't buried between my legs, driving me insane, and offered it to me.

"San Juan," he said, before placing the fruit in my mouth. "Home of Nuyorican Café, where we'll Salsa dance the night away, then come back here and make love until the sun rises."

Again, a picture form in my mind. This time of us dancing on a crowded dance floor, Carlos expertly moving us together through the complex, seductive steps. We'd be so lost in each other that we wouldn't even notice the other people. I think he loved to dance nearly as much as I did. I was definitely looking forward to that stop.

There were only a couple of strawberries left; one near my belly button, the other directly above my mound. Carlos sipped the one on my stomach into his mouth. "St. John. We can stroll the quaint island before finding a shaded, secluded spot under a sea grape tree on Jumbie Beach."

"I like the beach," I purred, as his finger separated my folds and teasingly circled my damp center.

"Jumbie Beach looks beautiful in the pictures I saw when I researched it. Very private, very secluded."

It was amazing that I was able to have a clear, coherent thought while two of Carlos' fingers stroked in and out of my body, driving me to the very edge of an orgasm, before stopping and starting again. "You have done _some_ planning for our honeymoon."

"Yeah, I haven't been to most of the places. I've traveled San Juan pretty extensively, but not the islands as much."

Finally, he curved his finger onto my g-spot, and with just the right amount of pressure, sent me flying into an orgasm. I cried out his name, long and loud, soaking his fingers and the blanket with my release.

When my breathing had slowed, I opened my eyes to find Carlos looking at me with a soft expression. His hand was resting on my mound, not moving, allowing me to recover for a few minutes.

Reaching out, I fisted my hands in his hair and pulled his face to mine. Our lips melded together, passion surging between us. Carlos groaned into my mouth, his tongue tangling with mine. The remaining strawberry and pieces of cake were smashed between us as Carlos covered me with his long, lean, muscle-bound body. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and could feel the hardness of his cock through his shorts as it pressed against me, right where I wanted him most. Carlos stopped abruptly and sat back on his heels between my wide-spread thighs.

"How do you feel about learning something new?" he teased, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

_Zing!_ Another impending orgasm built up strength. I liked being Carlos' attentive student. He hadn't brought the black box up, so I wasn't sure exactly what he had in mind, though. I raised both my eyebrows and licked my lips in invitation for him to continue.

"Babe..." He drew out on a long breath. "The box is down in the bedroom; we'll get to that next. I was referring to diving."

_Diving into Carlos right now sounded like an excellent idea to me._

He shook his head in amusement. "Scuba diving, dear wife."

I must have said that out loud. Oh well, there was no secret about how much I was into my husband.

Carlos leaned forward and licked the smashed strawberry from my body. "In St. Vincent, there's an underwater fissure called the Bat Cave," he said as he nipped at my clit and his finger returned to my center.

"The Bat Cave, really?"

"Yeah, Babe, and even though it's one of the top dives, I've never done it. Guess I was waiting for you."

Warmth flooded my heart at his words. Sometimes just hearing him say things like that caused me to get emotional. "I'd like to learn how to dive. What all is involved?"

"I can teach you pretty much everything before we get there, and we can do some shallow dives, but you'll have to do a check-out dive with an instructor to get certified," Carlos told me while he smeared the remaining cake all around my pussy, then went to work cleaning up his mess.

I was a mass of need by the time he'd finished. He quickly shed his black shorts and positioned his cock at my entrance, then slowly slid inside. My nails bit into his forearms. Even though I was wet, soaked actually, things were getting a little sore down there, not to mention that my husband was very well endowed and stretched me to the limit. We'd made love countless times already today, and a couple of times, things had gotten pretty rough—exactly how I liked it.

Carlos noticed me tensing up and instantly stilled. "Are you that sore?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

"It's okay. I'll be fine," I encouraged as I reached down and urged him forward by pushing against his sculpted ass.

He didn't move.

"Stephanie, I don't want to hurt you." He pulled out of me gently. "Let's go soak in the hot tub, ease some of your soreness."

I wanted to growl in frustration. I loved having him buried to the hilt inside me, pain or no, and now I was going to have to wait. Patience was _not_ my strongest virtue. I came up with another idea that had him instantly arching an eyebrow.

"Ya know," I began, casually running my hand down his chest until I reached his straining cock. "We could try somewhere else," I said coyly, and felt heat raise just a touch on my face. "Somewhere that isn't sore."

"You think you're ready to try that?" he asked hesitantly.

Nodding my head, I gave him a shy smile.

He kissed me lightly and looked deep into my eyes. "We'll go slow. Use a couple of things from the box to make it easier. And we can stop anytime you want."

Again, I nodded.

"You have to promise me you'll tell me if it's too much. I don't want you to just let me do it because you think it's something I need. I don't. And I won't think or love you any less if you don't enjoy it, understand?"

"Carlos, you've always made me feel safe and loved. I trust you; I have from the very first time I met you. The trust was what was missing in all the other times I tried anal sex. I want to experience it with you. Now. Today."

**RPOV**

Even though Stephanie was willing to give this a try, I still had my doubts. We'd been working up to this for a while, and I knew it would probably happen on our honeymoon, but now that the moment was here, I was hesitant.

I'd meant what I'd said about not needing it. Sure, it had been an active part of my past experiences. Most of the time, it was done to keep myself from losing interest in the woman I was with. That wasn't the case with my wife. Life was always interesting with her by my side, and our sex life had far exceeded anything I'd ever imagined.

I really didn't want to do this with her sore, so I grabbed her hand, pulled her up, and led her to the hot tub.

She gave me a puzzled expression. "I thought we'd go straight downstairs."

"Babe, let's just sit in here for a little while. It'll help relax you and ease some of the soreness." I helped her step up into the tub, then we sat with her in front of me, resting her head on my shoulder. Stephanie gave a long, contented sigh, and I asked, "Feeling better?"

"Mmmhmm," she answered softly.

Starting at her shoulders, I slowly began massaging. By the time I reached the top of her thighs, she was dozing off. I let her sleep for about ten minutes, before my fingers trailed between her legs.

Gently, I probed her puckered hole. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake all the way up. The warm water had loosened her muscles, so I had no problem pushing one finger up inside her.

Stephanie finally awoke when I added the second finger. I felt her tense.

"It's okay, just relax. We're going to take this nice and slow. We've got a long way to go yet."

The tension ebbed away, aided by the slow circling of her clit with my free hand. I slid a finger down to test her pussy for soreness. When she didn't jerk away in pain, I eased my index finger into the velvet softness.

"Ooohhh," she moaned in pleasure.

Without any rush, I slowly worked both holes. When there was no resistance to the width of my two fingers, I knew it was time to get the black box. Picking her up into my arms, we quickly dried off, then I carried her down to our bedroom.

Stephanie watched closely as I opened the lid of the box and took two items out.

Knowing how curious she was, I explained each item. "This," I said, holding up a tube, "is a lubricant that has Benzocaine. It's a topical anesthesia to numb any discomfort."

She nodded her head, and chewed her lip while she looked at the other item.

"It's called a plug."

Her face flooded with color.

"Babe, don't be embarrassed. It's just us. This will help the muscles relax and get used to something wider than my fingers."

"So, how do we do this? How should I lay? I guess on my knees would be best, huh?"

I'd given this a lot of thought, and I didn't want to use the 'doggie' position for our first time. I didn't want her to associate this time with anything she'd disliked with her past experiences. "No, just lay on your side."

She rolled to her right side, and I snuggled up behind her, spooning her with my body. Sweeping her hair to the side, I kissed the column of her neck, while my hand snaked around to cup her breast. To make this easier for her, I planned to use any form of distraction that would work. Stephanie covered the hand cupping her breast and entwined our fingers.

Opening the tube of lube, I squeezed a liberal amount on the index finger of my free hand. Slowly, I traced the outer lips of her pussy with the medicated lotion, before trailing back. I circled the hole until all the lube was worked into her skin. Adding more to my finger, I slid into her and stroked in and out.

"It's already getting numb." Her voice held a hint of surprise.

We wouldn't always need to use this anesthetic-laced lube, but I wanted her first time to be as easy and painless as possible.

I kissed her shoulder, then grabbed the plug, coating the entire thing with the lube, before placing it between her ass cheeks.

"Pull you knees up towards your chest, Babe." This position would allow better access and open her up more.

"Relax," I reminded her as I eased the plug into her body.

Her fingers ran down to pinch hard at her nipple as soon as she felt the first bit of pressure.

"That's perfect, Steph. Do what you have to do to distract yourself."

Apparently, she wasn't entirely happy with playing with herself, so she reached back to grasp my cock. She stroked down my length, pulled slightly on my balls, then returned to the slit to run just her fingernail along the opening. My cock jerked in response. By the time she completed the same pattern again, I had the plug in place.

Stephanie jumped as I buried two fingers into her pussy. "Ooohhh," she moaned.

I stopped and asked with concern, "Hurt?"

"No. You just surprised me. Is it in?"

"Yes. Can't you tell?"

"It feels full and a little tight, but it doesn't hurt."

"Good," I breathed against her skin, as I began a steady rhythm in and out of her velvety softness.

Her inner walls started to tighten, so I curled my finger onto her g-spot and sent her over the edge with a shout. I didn't stop, continuing to apply pressure against the spongy area, drawing out her orgasm.

Stephanie's breathing had just started to return to normal, when she suddenly flipped to her opposite side in a rush of movement that momentarily caught me off guard. In the next instant, her lips were sealed on my straining erection.

I groaned.

She smiled around my cock, then sucked down most of my length. Her hand blindly searched for the lube, and I knew why she wanted it.

Brushing her hair back away from her face so I could watch her mouth on me, I told her, "I don't need it, Babe."

Her hand stopped searching, and her fingers found their way to my mouth. Once I'd moistened them for her, she traced down past my balls to push her index finger inside me.

Clenching my teeth, I relaxed my body with a deep breath. She'd gotten very good at finding my 'trigger' point, and knew exactly how to drive me to the edge.

When she curled her finger forward and applied pressure against my prostrate gland, I grabbed two fistfuls of the bedding to keep myself from coming.

"Shit," I gritted out. Mercifully, she moved off the spot, and a pop sound echoed in the room as she released the suction off my cock.

"Problem, Batman?" she said cheekily, and skimmed over the sensitive area again.

"I'll get you back," I promised.

"I'm counting on that," she purred, then focused her full attention back to driving me crazy with her mouth.

I held out as long as I could before hauling her up my body. "Your turn," I whispered, kissing her fiercely.

Rolling us so that she was on bottom, I began traveling down her front, using my lips and teeth. I paused briefly at her breasts, then continued without stopping until I reached her clit. I circled the sensitive nub with the tip of my tongue, while my fingers went to her ass to remove the plug.

Stephanie writhed and moaned as I slowly slid it out, sucking softly on her delicate folds the entire time. I tossed it to the floor and indicated for her to roll to her side. She automatically assumed the same position, with her knees pulled up towards her chest.

After recoating the area and the tip of my cock with the lube, we were ready. I moved behind her on my knees. At first, I probed gently, watching her face the entire time for any sign of discomfort.

She was incredibly tight, even after the plug. I pinched one of her nipples, then leaned forward to lick at it. She buried her hand in my hair and held me in place as I pushed further in. I let a hand trail down until I reached her moist center. My thumb rubbed her clit, while two fingers pumped in a steady cadence.

"Oohh, God, Carlos!" she screamed through an orgasm. By the time she'd finished clenching around my fingers, I was buried to the hilt in her ass.

I smiled as Stephanie's eyes widened when she realized I'd quit pushing and was all the way in.

"Wow! This doesn't feel anything like I expected."

"Is that a good thing or bad?"

"Good. There's a lot of pressure, but no pain. Between that and your fingers, I can't decide what to concentrate on. I feel like I'm on sensory overload."

"That's the idea of anal sex, Babe. It gets even better than this."

"Do tell," she said with a smile.

"I'd rather show you."

And I did. I threw everything I had into 'overloading' her system. Stephanie became frantic, clawing at my forearms, biting at her lip, moaning, unable to stop moving as stimulation hit her from all sides.

I lost count of her orgasms, focusing entirely on pleasuring my wife. When she yelled through another one, I gave myself over to my own completion in a powerful thrust.

"Stephanie!" I growled, resting my head against her breast.

She rubbed down my back, and we each savored the aftershocks that ripped through our bodies. I withdrew from her in slow increments. She sighed deeply as I spooned our bodies together for a few minutes of rest.

"I need to shower off," I murmured into her hair, breaking the silence that had fallen on the room.

Laughing softly, she asked, "How much fresh water do we have on board? I think we're going to be taking a lot of showers, if we keep today's pace up."

"Do you have a complaint about today's activities?" I teased, lifting my head as she turned to look at me.

"Nope. Not me," she smiled, then with all seriousness, added, "It's truly been the best day of my life, Carlos."

"Mine, too, Babe," I agreed, cupping her face in my hands and kissing her tenderly. She made everything right in my world. It was an unbelievable reality to be this happy. She was mine, forever!

"In an effort to conserve water, we could take a midnight swim in the ocean."

"We'll still have to shower when we get done."

"True, but we can do that together to save time and water."

"That _seems_ like a logical idea, yet somehow, our showers together always take longer. I wonder why that is?"

We shared a knowing look and laughed at one another. We padded naked out of the bedroom, arm in arm, heading for back platform of the boat.

After a quick glance around, finding only one other boat far off our starboard side, I flipped on a switch that softly illuminated the water directly behind our boat.

Stephanie tossed a couple of floating aids into the water from the storage compartment nearby. We were greeted by warm ocean water as we stepped off the ladder of the boat.

I held my wife as we floated together for the better part of an hour. When she was nearly asleep in my arms, I knew it was time to get back onboard. After brushing a quick kiss to her forehead, I lifted her onto the back platform.

By the time our shower was finished, exhaustion had a firm grip on both of us. We fell into bed, snuggled together, and were asleep within minutes.

_**Nearly two months later **_

My wife sat between my legs, resting her head against my bare chest as we looked out at the island from the deck of _Our_ _Someday._

"I can't believe our honeymoon is over," she sighed dejectedly.

"Babe, just because we're returning to Miami today doesn't mean its over." I ran my hand inside her bikini top to tweak at her nipple. "In fact, I'd say it can last a good long time yet. Maybe several years."

Even though I couldn't see her face, I could practically feel her eyes rolling. "You're insatiable."

"Look who's talking," I teased. "If memory serves me correctly, _you_ woke _me_ up this morning in quite the state. Hell, you were riding me before I even got my eyes open."

"Hey!" She slapped playfully at my thigh. "I had to see if reality was as good as the dream I'd been having."

"And was it?"

Stephanie twisted around to face me. "It was better," she purred, before we shared a kiss that held all the passion we felt for one another.

When we had to separate for some much needed air, she laid her head on my shoulder, her lips pressing featherlite kisses against my neck. After a long while, I asked, "You ready to go?"

I felt her nod and squeezed her tight, before I rose to a standing position, taking her with me as I went.

"The next time we're here, the house will be completed."

"It's going to be beautiful," Stephanie exclaimed. "I'm especially going to like the running water and electricity!"

We looked back at the framed shell of our house, with the beginnings of a wide porch that would stretch across the entire front. I envisioned what it would look like finished.

We'd spent several days here, on our island, planning, taking pictures, looking at furniture online, talking to the contractors via phone—oh, and making love, making lots and lots of love. I couldn't stop the smile that creased my face as I reflected on our first two months as a married couple.

Stephanie noticed my smile. "What caused that?"

"Thinking about the last few weeks," I answered, starting the engines and checking the gauges.

"Can you believe we used everything in the black box?"

My smile got bigger. "We'll have to go shopping when we get home. We don't want to get bored."

She snorted. "Right, like that would ever happen with us."

Stephanie had become a competent First Mate during our travel, flipping the switch to bring up the anchors, with barely a glance at the console. I programmed the coordinates for Miami into the computer, added power to the engines, and backed us away from our island. When we'd reached cruising speed, I turned to look at my beautiful wife seated next to me, her foot absently rubbing up and down my left leg.

"What was your favorite part of our honeymoon?"

Both of her eyebrows arched up, and I laughed at the hungry look that sprang into her eyes. "Besides that," I said, fighting the urge to do a Stephanie-worthy eyeroll.

"Well, that did take up a huge chunk of our time, and it was definitely the best part—I guess, even though I loved everything we did, the diving in St. Vincent was my favorite."

"The Bat Cave?"

"Yep!"

"You remember what I said about showing you the Bat Cave?" I asked, playing off the name and a conversation I had with her when she'd been dealing with one of her many stalkers.

"I'd be stuck with you forever?" she answered, wearing a huge smile.

I raised our clasped hands, kissed her wedding ring, and looked into the endless depths of her blue eyes, before resting my forehead against hers and saying, "Forever, Babe."

_**The End!**_

Author's notes: Thank you so very much for reading Best Wishes! I've been blown away by the response. Pictures to accompany this chapter will be posted in the album, check out my profile page for the link!

At this time, I'm uncertain about what's next for me with writing. I do plan on a one-shot Raphael POV that will help tie together the next story in this trilogy, Baby Wishes.

I have a couple other ideas flying around in my head, and I don't know which one will find its way onto fanfiction first, one of those or Baby Wishes….stay tuned! Again, all my thanks! ~Angie

P.S.—Please review, I love hearing what you think about the story!


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